The Promise
by PedePaulie
Summary: Elora is young witch who has no friends and feels ostracized from her family. Then she meets Tom Riddle in the park and discovers that he hates his home life as well. The two of them become friends and promise to always look out for each other. What complications will attending Hogwarts bring?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The house was always bustling this time of year, but on this particular Saturday in August, there was more cause than usual for excitement. The previous Wednesday, Elora's sister Emile has received her invitation to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The young girl was finally old enough to buy a wand and begin practicing magic, which was cause for celebration in any wizarding household.

Elora was excited for her sister. Their brother Braeden would be starting his third year at Hogwarts, and now Elora would be left alone with her parents, anxious for the three remaining years to pass so that she could leave home as well. She felt a strong desire to explore and learn.

Elora watched as her parents fussed over Emile. She wondered if she would be able to make the trip this day with her family. She had never been to Diagon Alley with her brother. Perhaps now she was old enough.

"Mother?" she said tentatively as she stepped into the entrance hall of their home. "Can I come with you?"

Phoebe Leatherby's eyes fixed on her daughter, instantly becoming hard. She pursed her lips, as if trying to decide. "No," she said tightly. "We will be dropping your off at Granny's. I expect you to behave yourself. She has been generous enough to offer to take you to the park."

Elora saddened at the news but only temporarily. She was going to Granny's! And she was taking her to the park. What fun! Granny was her best friend in the whole world. She was her only friend, actual, but maybe she could make a new one at the park. She loved making friends; they just never seemed to stick.

"Have fun, booger," Emile said, her lips turning up into a twisted smirk. Then her eyes were on her mother. "Which house do you think I'll get into?"

"Hope for Ravenclaw," Braeden said, walking a circle around his sister with his hands folded neatly behind his back. His sandy hair was combed back perfectly, and his blue eyes glittered in the sunlight that shone through the glass in the door. "It's obviously the best."

Their father, who had come to stand beside his wife, coughed. Arnold Leatherby was a tall, strong-looking man who rarely had a look of pleasure on his face. Everyone knew not to mess with him.

The smile on Braeden's face disappeared. "Or Slytherin," he said quickly.  
Slytherin is just as good."

His father nodded in approval.

"It does not matter which house you are sorted into," Phoebe said, smiling warmly at Emile before kissing her on the head. "We will love you just the same."

_Only because she doesn't have a chance of getting into Gryffindor or Hufflepuff_, Elora thought. She did not understand what was wrong with those two houses. They seemed fine to her, and she could even seen some traits of both in herself. But her father came from a long line of Slytherins and her mother a line of Ravenclaws. They claimed joining together would produce children with the best traits of both houses (which were, apparently, the only worthy houses, according to them), but Elora thought that was just an excuse for them falling in love.

"Let's be off," Arnold said. "We're wasting time."

Granny Chrysanthemum did not live far. She ran a small bakery, which Elora's parents did not approve of because the considered baking servant work, and she had a small flat above the store. Elora always loved visiting her grandma. They were both so much alike, inside and out. They had the same long, flowing, white-blond hair that no one else in the family had inherited, and their faces had similar features, though Elora's were blue like her father's and Granny had the same hazel eyes as her daughter. Inside, the two females shared a love of exploration and wonder at the world.

Granny was all smiles when she opened the door. "Good afternoon, Phoebe," she said pleasantly before bending down to peer at Elora. "And how are you, my shining light?"

Elora smiled at the use of the meaning of her name. "Good, Granny," she said. "How are you?"

"Just fine, dear." Granny stood up, her eyes now falling on Emile. "Are you excited to be staring your education?"

"Yes!" Emile said, her eyes shining. "I can't wait to get my wand!"

Granny chuckled lightly. "Of course, darling. You better hurry before they're all sold out." She winked.

Emile's eyes widened. "They don't sell out!" She cast a fearful look at Phoebe. "Do they, mother?"

Braeden snorted. "Of course not. Be rational, Emile."

Phoebe cast her mother a hostile glance, and she pulled Emily towards her. "Come on, honey. It is time for us to leave." Her eyes flickered to her youngest daughter, her eyes hardening slightly. "Be good, you."

Elora nodded. She waited until her family had departed, and then she turned to Granny and smiled. "Mum said something about a park."

"Oh, yes," Granny said, her eyes lighting up. "I think I've found a good one. Would you like to go?"

Elora grinned. "Yes!"

Granny chuckled. "Alright. Let's go inside and you can gather anything you want to bring with you. We will be there for awhile."

Elora was not sure what this particular park looked like, so she could not figure out what to bring. She eventually settled on a long blanket and a book. These were general items that would work just about anywhere. She put them in a box and trotted back to Granny. Then the two of them started off to the park together.

"It is going to be lonely once you sister leaves," Granny commented as they walked.

Elora frowned slightly. "Yeah." Not that she and Emile were close by any means. It was just that she was afraid to be alone in the house with her mother.

"I get lonely too," Granny said. "We'll have to keep each other company these next few years. If you like this park, we can go back anytime you like."

Elora smiled. That sounded absolutely wonderful to her.

The park was beautiful. There was a playground in the middle with a soccer field and a basketball court on the edges. "Have fun now," Granny called as the 8-year-old ran off towards the playground, still carrying her box.

Once her feet hit the gravel, Elora stopped and looked around at the equipment. Hmm… She smiled when she saw a roundabout, and her mind began to spin with ideas. Perfect! She trotted over to the roundabout and plopped her box beside it. Then she took out her blanket, lifted it up to make sure it would fit, and flung it over the piece of equipment. The blanket covered the bars and showed some of the outer circle. Great.

She glanced at the main piece of the playground. It made many different sections that connected together. That was not how she saw it, though. In her eyes, it was a monstrous villain threatening her very existence. She was determined to survive.

Now she needed something long and pointy. A stick would be ideal. Seeing a row of shrubs separating the gravel from the grass, she walked over to see what she could find. What great luck! There was a perfectly good stick lying on the grass. Elora had to crawl under the shrub to reach it, but it was well worth the effort.

She stuck the stick halfway under the blanket. She stepped back and put her hands on her hips to admire her work. Yes, this was perfect. Now she was ready to begin. There were dark forces to defeat!

"What are you doing?"

Elora nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of a voice behind her. She relaxed when she turned around and saw that it was just a boy about her age. She wondered how long he had been watching her. His look was unfriendly; his face had a cold and calculating expression. He had jet black hair and dark eyes. Despite his obvious demeanor, Elora concluded that he was cute.

"Well?" the boy said.

Elora blinked. He was looking for an answer. What was she doing? Well, he was the one who had asked… "I'm preparing to defeat the evil dragon that is threatening the village."

The boy gave her a look that suggested he thought she was crazy. She did not mind; she was used to it. "What dragon?"

"Over there," Elora said, pointing to the play gym.

The boy gave her an odd look. "That's not a dragon. They don't even exist."

"Yes it is! And yes they do!" Dragons didn't exist? Where did he grow up? Oh, right. He was a muggle.

The boy scoffed. "You're mad." His eyes fell on the roundabout. "What are you doing with this?"

Elora smiled, quickly regaining her pleasant attitude. "I'm charging up my sword." She pointed to the stick. "I have to spin this thing around, and if I am worthy, I will be able to pull out the sword."

"What is wrong with you?" the boy said.

Elora frowned. "Don't you have an imagination?" Though she had to admit, she had not come up with this completely on her own. "Let me show you." She walked over to her box and pulled out the book, which contained stories and pictures about King Arthur. She flipped through the book until she got to a particular part and held it out to the boy. The left page showed a young boy struggling to pull a sword out of a large stone, and the right page showed the boy successfully raising the glowing sword.

"This isn't real," the other kid retorted. Then his eyebrows creased in thought. "Who's that?" He pointed to an old man standing behind Arthur. He had blue robes, a long white beard, and glasses.

Elora smiled. "That's Merlin. He's the greatest wizard in the world." And he had been a Slytherin, as her father always loved to point out.

The boy continued to study the book with a look of interest on his face.

"So, do you want to help me defeat the dragon?" Elora asked brightly.

The boy lowered the book and frowned at her. "No," he said, pushing the book into her chest. "I still think you're mad."

Before Elora could reply, a taunting voice said, "Look! Someone's got a girlfriend!"

Three older, haughty-looking boys were standing in front of them. The kid in the middle had his arms crossed and a smug look on his face; it had been him who had spoken.

"She's not my girlfriend," the boy with the black hair said in a dark tone. Then, as if to prove it, he turned to Elora and pushed her to the ground. The other boys laughed and jeered.

The girl was slightly offended, but she soon forgot about it as she stood up and brushed herself off. She did _not_ like how these knew kids were looking at the boy she had been talking to. The leader was advancing toward him. "Leave him alone!" Elora said boldly.

The kids laughed. "What are you going to do about it?" the leader asked.

The black-haired boy shot Elora a sharp look. "I don't need your help."

"I say we get them both," the boy on the left said. "Teach them a lesson."

The boy on the right nodded his head in agreement. "Let's do it."

The first boy smiled wickedly. "Then it's on."

Elora's eyes widened as she sensed real danger. What would King Arthur do? She quickly dropped before jumping onto the roundabout and using her left foot to push off and spin the thing around. The boy's faces were blurry as she passed them. After several turns, she jumped back off, steadying herself from the resulting dizziness. Then she grabbed the stick, broke it in half, and tossed one end to her companion, who caught it.

The bullies laughed again. "What are you going to do with those, poke us to death?" the leader sneered.

"To the dragon!" Elora bellowed. She and the black-haired boy raced off together towards the play set. The older kids were hard on their heels.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" her companion said as they scrambled up a ladder.

"No," Elora replied, "but we have to get to the heart!"

"And where is that?"

She could tell he was still not playing into this, but she had no time to persuade him. Her eyes quickly darted along the play set. "This way!" She charged forward, leading them across a rickety wooden bridge.

"They're coming!" the boy said.

But one of them was in front of them now. How he got there, Elora did not know, and it did not matter. Thinking quickly, she ducked down and darted between the kid's legs, causing him to stumble and fall over. Looking back, she saw her companion roll him over the side of the play gym. One down, two to go.

They were at monkey bars now. Elora swung across them first. She had not done this in awhile, and it made her hands hurt. Behind her, she heard an off, followed by the sound of someone crashing to the ground. Alarmed, she quickly got to the other side so she could turn around and inspect the damage. She was relieved when she saw that it was the black-haired boy who had kicked one of the other kids, causing him to fall into the gravel. Now there was only the leader left.

"Where's the heart?" the boy asked, still clutching the stick in his hand.

"Up there!" She pointed t a high tower where there was a long slide leading to the ground. They had to climb up a rope ladder to get there.

"Let's go then," the boy said. This time, he took the lead.

Elora's heart beat frantically as she scampered up the ladder, but she was thrilled by the adrenalin that rushed through her. She could hear someone behind her, and she climbed faster. Once she was on top, she jabbed her 'sword' I between two bars. "There!" she exclaimed. Then she quickly climbed up on a higher ledge to get a better look at the playground. She glanced down at her companion. "Finish it off!"

But the leader of the gang had already arrived, and he was advancing towards the other boy with a hideous snarl on his face. "You're going to pay," he growled.

The black-haired boy stepped back, but he stripped and fell backwards. He tried to scoot to his right as the enemy loomed over him.

Elora held in a gasp; she could not give aware her position. Gathering up as much courage as she could, she leapt down and pushed the older kid in the direction of the slide. The boy let out a cry of surprise as he was forced down the slide. The younger boy seemed shocked as well.

"Come on!" Elora said, a sense of urgency in her voice.

The boy got to his feet and stuck his stick near hers. She grabbed hold of the pole in front of her and slid down. Once both of them were safe, they ran for the hedges. They climbed over the shrubs and then duck down low.

Their breathing was shallow as they knelt there, waiting for something to happen. After several minutes, it became apparent that they had escaped, and they slowly stood up.

Elora chuckled nervously. "That was fun."

"It was good to get back at them," the boy agreed. "They've been bothering me for some time."

"Who were those guys?"

The boy hesitated before speaking. "They're just boys who… live at the orphanage with me."

Elora let out a gasp. "You're an orphan?"

The boy nodded.

"How long?"

"Since the hour I was born."

There was a hint of bitterness in his voice, and it caused Elora to frown at him in sympathy. "And you haven't been adopted?" It seed strange. Weren't babies usually adopted quickly?

"I don't need a family," the boy said. "I just want out of the orphanage. It's miserable."

"But everyone needs a family," Elora said. "You can't live on your own. Isn't it the better option?"

The boy shrugged. "It depends on the kind of family."

"Any kind of family is better than none," Elora said softly. And she would know. She often dreamed of running away, but something always kept her grounded. Maybe it was hope. Or love. "Do you have any friends?"

The boy shook his head. "I don't need any of those either."

"Yes, you do!" Elora said with more energy than she had intended. She blushed slightly when the boy raised an eyebrow at her. "I mean… I'll be your friend."

"I don't want your pity," the boy snarled.

Elora blinked, taken back. She was one of the last people who would reach out to someone out of pity. "I just-"

The boy turned his head when a woman's voice resonated across the playground. Looking back at the girl, he frowned. "I've got to go."

"Wait!" Elora said as he started to walk away. "What's your name?"

The boy stopped and looked at her once more. "Tom Riddle," he said with no emotion in his voice.

Elora smiled slightly. "I'm Elora Leatherby."

Tom made no sign of acknowledgement. He simply turned around wand waltzed away. Elora was left alone, wondering about their meeting.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Tom tried not to think about what had occurred at the park that Saturday. He told himself it did not mean anything and that, even if it did, it did not matter because he was never going to see that girl again. However, he found his mind constantly drifting to her over the course of the next few days.

He knew the reason. The mind more readily dwelled on what was unusual, out of the ordinary. Out of all his experiences, this one stuck out to him. His brain was busy trying to explain it, but he could not come up with much. Why had the girl been kind to him even when he had been unkind to her? Why had she defended him? Why did she want to be his friend? No one had _ever_ wanted to be his friend. Maybe she did not have any friends either. Perhaps she was lonely.

If she had been lonely, why was she so happy? She probably had a perfect family and never had to worry about everything. She was odd, and he did not want to associate with someone like her. She would probably turn on him eventually, anyway. He did like her name, though. Elora. It was unique, unlike his own. He hated his name. Why couldn't his mother have been more creative? Why couldn't she have stayed alive for him? Couldn't she have tried harder?

Tom shook the thoughts away like raindrops on his hair. It did no good dreaming of what could have been. He was completely alone in the world, and that was the truth he had to face. No one had ever loved him and no one ever would, especially not some stupid little girl he had just met. She could never really care about him. She pitied him. He hated pity.

The boys the two of them had evaded at the park were quick in gaining revenge. They had gone off the property and brought back stinging nettles, which stung when they touched the skin and eventually produced itchy bumps that took awhile to go away. The boys had attacked Tom outside and made sure to brush the leaves all of over his arms and legs. When he had complained to a caretaker, they would not believe his story and instead punished him for wandering outside the property.

He had not been whipped due to his sores, which the boys found infuriating when they discovered it. They proceeded to find Tom alone again and beat him themselves. They were carefully to only go for body parts that could easily hidden by clothes. Tom had tried to fight back, but he was too small and weak.

He now knew better than to go to his caretakers. Why they seemed to have some prejudice against him he would never understand. But the other kids seemed to view him the same way. They thought he was cold, unapproachable. A freak. Lashing out at them for the mistreatment only caused them to confirm their opinions of him. No one wanted to be around him, even the adults who were supposed to be taking care of him.

He was glad he was naturally introverted, for he would have gone mad if he had not enjoyed being alone. At least, within his own mind, he could be safe. Sometimes, though, he could not help but reflect on what other said about him. Was it all true? Was his life bound to darkness? Maybe he had been cursed.

He winced as he walked to his room after his beating. He could not let anyone see his pain, lest he be punished further. He sucked in a sharp breath. Everything hurt; there was no way to escape the pain. Even when he was not physically harmed, the emotional and psychological torture he had to endure was almost unbearable. He often wondered if it would be better to shut off his emotions entirely. Maybe then it would not hurt as much. He was already trying not to care, trying to become hardened so that nothing could hurt him. He was still young, though, and some days were more successful than others. On this particular day, he was helpless to prevent a few tears from spilling down his cheeks as he lay on his back on his bed.

He hated his life. He hated not having control over anything. He was a victim subject to any harsh treatment others wished. He hated feeling so helpless. He desperately sought some sort of power. He had a deep desire to prove everyone wrong and show them that he was not worthless. He needed to prove to them how strong he could be. He needed control over _something_. He needed to learn how to survive in the world. Sometimes despair overwhelmed him. Was there nothing special about him at all? He wondered if there was anyone in the world as miserable as he.

He did enjoy the trips to the park. The kids at the orphanage were split into four groups, and they took turns visiting the park on Saturdays. Tom's week was always the first of the month. Even in the winter when snow covered the ground and the only thing to do was sled down the hill near the soccer field, he felt his spirit renewed. The park was the only place where he ever felt free. It was the only time he was away from the orphanage and did not feel like a prisoner. He could go explore the wide, open area. The fresh air did wonders for him. He did not even have to interact with the other kids; he just found a place alone to be with nature. For one afternoon a month, he could feel at peace.

September could not come soon enough for Tom, but arrived it did. He was now fully healed from all of his wounds, for which he was grateful. He decided he best not test his luck for awhile. There was a light wind this Saturday, but he did not mind. This was his day.

While most of the other young children ran for the playground, Tom walked past it until he reached the other side of the shrubs. There was a small area here that he liked to go to. He stood there and looked around, wondering what he should do now. There was so much potential in the day; he only had to find out how to use it.

He turned around when he heard someone hiss "hello." He frowned when he saw that no one was there. His eyes flickered to the ground. He was slightly surprised to see a green snake in front of him. He had lifted its body partly up, and it was looking at him. "Closer."

Tom started; his eyes widened in surprise. Had that snake _spoken_ to him? Maybe he was becoming mad after all. There was no way this was really happening. Still, he had a sliver of curiosity, so he knelt down to the ground in order to get a better look at the creature. "Hello," he said calmly. "You can speak?"

"No," the snake said, flicking out its tongue. "You can."

Tom wrinkled his eyebrows in confusion. Was the snake trying to say that _he_ was the one with special abilities? The reptile was sadly mistaken. "No. There's nothing unique about me."

"Wrong again," hissed the snake.

Tom frowned, contemplating these words. Before he could think of anything else to say, he heard a young female voice behind him:

"Are you talking to that snake?"

Tom quickly stood up and spun around. He was surprised to find that the intruder was the girl he had met the previous month. He could not dwell on that now, though, for he had to answer my question. "So what if I am?" he said. She had no right to label him weird considering how odd she was herself.

But Elora's face held a look of wonder, not condemnation. "Can you understand it? Can it understand you?"

Tom looked at her in puzzlement. Why would she jump that conclusion? "Yes," he said slowly. He paused before adding, "I'm not mad."

The girl shook her head. "I don't think you are. You're a parselmouth!"

Tom blinked. "What?"

The girl was grinning now. There was something in her eyes that made him uncomfortable. "You can speak parseltongue. It's snake language."

Now Tom was even more confused. "How can I speak a language without knowing it?"

"It's a special power that some wizards and witches have," Elora said. "My mum says it's rare."

Her words caused his breath to catch in his throat. "Wizards?"

The girl smiled. "I thought you were a muggle, but I was wrong. You could only speak parseltongue if you were a wizard."

"I'm a… wizard?" There was awe in his voice, and a strange feeling stirred inside him.

Elora grinned and nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! I'm a witch. You're magical just like me."

Tom let a sense of wonder envelop him. He was a wizard. That meant he was special after all! But…

He immediately hardened again as a thought struck him. Why should he believe this girl? It was not like she did not know how to make up stories. She believed in things that did not exist, including wizards and magic. Sure, he thought he had talked to that snake, but it was probably just some cruel trick played by one of the other orphan boys.

No, he could not let himself believe her. He could not let himself feel hope when it was just going to be snatched back again; he would not be able to bear it. "I don't believe you," he said.

The smile instantly vanished from the girl's face. "What? But you spoke to the snake!"

"It's a prank," Tom said. "It wasn't real. Magic isn't real."

The girl shook her head vigorously, seeming frantic. "No! It is real. My parents are wizards, and my brother and sister, and my grandma. My whole family is magical."

"Yeah right," Tom said scathingly. "You're making it up like you made up the dragon."

"Dragons _are_ real," Elora said, "but I was just playing. _This_ is real. You are a wizard and I am a witch."

He desperately wanted to believe her, but how could he? He needed to see it. "Prove it."

The girl faltered. "I – I can't. I don't have my powers yet."

Tom ignored the feeling of disappointment and turned away. He had to get out of there before she made it hurt worse.

"Tom! Wait!"

For some reason, he stopped. Maybe he really was desperate.

"There's a school called Hogwarts that wizards and witches go to when they are 11," Elora said as she came to face him again. "My brother and sister go there. They have wands. Hogwarts has four housed: Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and Hufflepuff. Could I make up all these names?"

She seemed desperate as well, and Tom wondered at the reason. What did it matter to her if he was a wizard? "Yes," he replied as he crossed his arms.

The girl looked crushed. "I – I-"

Tom had to end this. "Goodbye," He tried to walk away again.

"No!" Elora cried from behind him. "What if – what of – we can try to do magic together?"

Against his better judgment, Tom stopped again. He felt the same feeling he had earlier. What if she was telling the truth? It was best make sure. He let out a heavy sigh as he turned around. "What do you mean?"

The girl seemed to brighten slightly. "We might have more power if we try together. We might be able to do something."

Tom raised his eyebrows. "Do what?"

"I don't know. Just try."

Tom held in another sigh. Well, what did he have to lose? He walked up to her until he was a foot away. "Ok. What do I do?"

Elora smiled slightly. "Just want it. Feel powerful."

That was easy for her to say. He had never felt powerful in his life. He did want, though. He closed his eyes and focused on taking steady breaths. He tried to will the earth to move under his control.

When he opened his eyes, nothing had change. "It didn't work," he said bitterly.

But Elora was smiling. "No. Look." She pointed above them.

Tom gasped when he saw an acorn floating in midair between them and a tree. He held there for several seconds, and then it crashed to the ground. His eyes were wide as he stared at the girl in front of him. She had been telling the truth after all. "I'm a – a-"

The girl smiled warmly at him. "You're a wizard."

Tom's mouth fell open in shock. He felt dizzy, and he could hardly breathe. Dazed, he said, "Tell me more."

"Of course!" Elora said brightly. She sat down in the grass, and he followed suit. "There's a while wizarding world but we're sworn to secrecy because muggles can't handle it."

Tom blinked. There was that word again. "Muggles?"

"Non-magical people. Anyway, when wizards are 11, they receive a letter from Hogwarts to attend the school. Then they have to go to Diagon Alley to get their wand and school supplies."

"Where is Hogwarts?" Tom asked.

"In Scotland," Elora said. "You live there when there's school, but you go home during summer and breaks."

This news was even more wonderful than the last. If he went to Hogwarts, he would have a whole school year away from the orphanage. No school could be as bad as hat orphanage. And he would be learning magic. Power. Control. Everything he had always desired. It seemed too good to be true, but how could he deny it now? "How will I get a letter?" he asked. "Do they know I'm a wizard?"

"They will once your magic develops more," Elora said. "There's a Ministry of Magic, and they can tell when and where magic is used."

"This sounds brilliant," Tom said as excitement began to bubble in his chest. "But we have to wait three years?"

Elora smiled weakly. "I know. It's a long time. But I can tell you more about magic and wizards while we wait. When do you come to the park?"

"The first Saturday of the month," Tom said. Looking the girl over, he decided she was not so bad after all. She was someone he could tolerate. Besides, he wanted to learn as much as he could from her. Things were finally looking up. "Can you be here?"

"I think so," Elora said. "I'll get my Granny to take me." She smiled at him. "Does this mean we're friends?"

Tom hesitated. He had never had a friend before, and he was not sure what it entailed. However, no one had ever treated him as nice as Elora, so he supposed he could give it a try. "Yes," he said.

Elora grinned and held out her hand. Tom felt something strange as he shook it, but it was a good feeling. The world had changed for him, and he had never been happier.

Tom spent hours upon hours analyzing and dissecting everything Elora had told him, his heart thumping madly as he did so. He still found it all too wonderful to comprehend. He had power he did not even know of. He would become strong and show the world his greatness. He would be worth something. And perhaps he could get back at all those who had ever harmed him. For the first time in his life, the future looked bright.

He was eager when he found Elora on the first Saturday of October. They met at their usual place. She was smiling at him, and he found that he felt lighter in her presence.

"Do you want to play a game first?" she asked. "I have too much energy."

"Ok," Tom agreed. He had never been invited to play games with other children, and he wondered what it was like.

Elora grinned and bounced on the balls of her feet excitedly. "Let's play monster tag! The person who is It has to say on the gravel, while the person running has to stay off the gravel." She pointed to the play set. "The gravel is lava, and the person who is It is a lava monster."

Tom smirked in amusement. Cute game. "Ok. I will be it."

With a giggle, Elora ran off towards the play set. Tom had no choice but to run after her.

The boy actually had a good time playing tag. Somehow, it was exhilarating, and it sure did leave him tired. When they had had enough, the two kids walked back to their little area behind the hedges and plopped down on the grass.

"Tell me about magic," Tom said.

Elora smiled. "Ok." And she did.

Tom was completely captivated by everything she said. He had never cared to listen to anyone before, but her words sounded beautiful to his ears. He frequently questioned her, begging to know more.

"I can't wait until I can do magic," Tom murmured at a lull in the conversation.

"It's going to be great," Elora agreed. "We'll both get to go to Hogwarts together, and we can continue to be friends."

Tom felt cramped from sitting for so long, so he stood up to stretch his limbs. He watched as the girl did the same. "Why do you want to be friends with me?"

"I like you," Elora said. She hesitated. "And I don't really have many friends." She glanced down, seeming embarrassed.

Tom frowned at her response. For some reason, this bothered him. "I don't have many friends either," he admitted. "None actually. I never have."

Elora looked up at him in surprise. "People think I'm odd."

"You are," Tom said. When she frowned, he added, "But that's not bad. I like it." It was true. She was definitely strange, but if she liked him, she must have been alright.

Elora smiled at this. "Thanks. Why don't you have friends?"

Tom shrugged. "Other people think I'm a freak. They don't like how I act. I don't seek out others, and I don't show much emotion. They think I'm destined for bad things."

Elora gasped. "Don't listen to them. You can be whoever you want to be. It's your choice."

Tom blinked. He had a choice? He had never seen much option than what others had laid out for him. "Really?"

Elora smiled closely. "Of course. I'll show you. I'm you friend."

When she touched his hand, he jerked back out of surprise. No one had ever touched him except to shake his hand or harm him. Her touch felt… good. Strange.

Elora frowned. "Did I do something wrong?"

Tom shook his head. "No. It's fine." He was not sure what to make of the new emotion he was feeling.

Elora smiled again. "Good."

Then she did something truly unexpected. She hugged him. Tom had never been hugged in his life, and he did not really know how to respond. Her body felt warm pressed against his; he found that he liked it. He slowly wrapped his arms around her, which seemed to be correct. Why did this feel so good?

"Elora!"

Tom pulled back from the girl when he heard an adult woman's voice. Looking up, he saw that the woman had short, blond hair and hazel eyes.

Elora bit her lip. "Hi, Mum."

"It's time to go," the woman said pursing her lips.

"Ok," Elora said. She gave Tom a small smile. "Goodbye, Tom."

The woman took her arm and pulled her away before he could respond. "Goodbye, Elora," he said to her receding form.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Elora's mother dragged her daughter all the way home by pulling on her arm. Her lips were tight, and she had a hard expression on her face. The young girl felt her heart sink. She had done something wrong; she knew it. Now she was in for it.

Once they reached their house, Phoebe pushed Elora inside and slammed the door shut, instantly locking it with her wand. Then she turned on her daughter, her face livid. "What do you think you were doing with that muggle boy?" she snapped, advancing towards the girl.

Elora shivered as she stepped back. "He's not a muggle, Mum. He's a wizard. I helped him discover it."

"I highly doubt that," Phoebe said. "He's too young to show any signs of magic."

"But he's a parselmouth!" Elora exclaimed. "And we did magic together!"

Phoebe seemed surprised at this, and she stopped her advancements. Several moments later, however, her dark demeanor returned. "You were probably acting on your own. It's about time you started showing you're a witch.

Elora winced. Her mother had always gotten on her case about not showing signs of magic when she was young like a good pureblood witch. Her siblings had succeeded at it.

"And about the parseltongue, it's easy to fake," Phoebe said dismissively. "He was probably only playing. Besides, even if he were a wizard, he would be a muggle-born, which is just as bad. Worse, actually. You know that."

Elora did not, in fact, know _anything_ of the sort. She did not understand why her family was so prejudiced against muggle-borns. What difference did it make how they gained their powers? They were all witches and wizards. She had heard from some muggle kids that there was a movement in the country Germany to get rid of one of the races. Was that not the same thing? They were all people, so why could they not just get along?

Braeden and Emile had taken to the philosophy quite readily, so maybe it was Elora who was wrong. Maybe she was just as odd as everyone always proclaimed. She immediately felt troubled. What was wrong with her? Tom was brought to her mind. He seemed to like her. She wanted to be his friend, even if it was wrong. She knew a good thing when she saw it. There was something else, though, that her mother seemed to be missing. "He might not be a muggle-born," she said. "He lives at an orphanage. He doesn't know who his parents are. One of them could have been magical."

Phoebe clicked her tongue. "No wizard worth anything would leave a child at a muggle orphanage. I want you to stay away from this boy, Elora, do you hear me?"

"No!" Elora cried. "He's my friend!"

A growl escaped the older woman's lips as she briskly walked forward to reach her daughter. Then she slapped the girl hard across the face, calling her to fall to the floor. "Don't you dare talk to me like that, you little brat! You will obey your mother!"

Elora's face stung, and tears began to fall down it. She did not try to get up as she sobbed. "N-no." She could not give up Tom, she just could not. "I want Granny."

"Granny is not here!" Elora bellowed. "You don't deserve to see her, you wretched child!" She kicked the girl, causing her to roll over towards the wall.

The tears were flowing freely now. Elora tried to stand up, but she stumbled and fell again. "I'm s-sorry."

"No, you're not," Phoebe spat. "Look at me!" She picked her daughter up by her long hair, forcing her to look into her cold, stern face. "You'll never achieve anything of greatness if you don't do what you're told. You'll remain worthless. Who knows best?"

Elora felt like her head was on fire, and she involuntarily let out a whimper. She would have done anything to make all of this stop. "Y-you," she whimpered, cringing in anticipation of what she knew would come next.

Phoebe's eyes glittered in satisfaction. "Good," she said. "You best remember it." Then, still clutching Elora's hair, she threw the girl hard against the wall, where she landed with a thump.

Elora's head exploded in pain, and the rest of her hurt all over. She huddled into a ball as she waited to hear the sound of her mother's shoes receding from the room. She stayed in that position as she continued to sob. She had been let off easy, she knew. It could have been much worse. It would be much worse once her mother learned that she would be disobeying her again They only thing she could think of was that she had to get Granny to take her to the park and no one else.

At least no blood had been spilled this time. It was a struggle to get to her feet, but Elora knew she had to lest her mother decide to come back. She had to be strong; it was the only way she was going to survive. She tried to keep thoughts away that would pierce her worse than her physical wounds. What she needed was sleep. She let out a breath of relief when she reached her room and collapsed on her bed. She had survived.

Elora was lucky she was allowed to see Granny the next day. Her mother had agreed because she was sick of the sight of her daughter and wanted someone to take her off her hands. Granny Chrysanthemum had been all too willing to agree.

Elora had regained control of herself by then. There were no visible bruises, and she kept her appearance as reserved as possible. No one would have suspected the abuse that had taken place earlier. The minute she and Phoebe reached Granny's bakery and the door opened, Elora raced forward and clung to her grandmother's skirt.

"Hello, dear," Granny said as she stroked her hair.

"Make sure she doesn't get into any trouble," Phoebe said curtly. "She's been on a rebellious streak."

"Of course. Good day, Phoebe."

Phoebe made a grunting noise, and Elora heard her walk away. She did not dare remove herself from her Granny's skirt just yet, though. She felt too safe.

"Are you hungry, Elora?" Granny asked in a gentle voice.

At this, Elora stepped back so she would look at her grandmother. "Yes," she said. If it was nearing noon, she had not eaten in almost 24 hours; it had been part of her punishment.

Granny smiled at her. "Well, let's go get you something to eat, and then we can catch up, alright?"

Elora could only nod, and she followed her grandma into the house. The plan sounded fantastic to her. Granny always made the best meals, especially the dessert. She knew this was going to be a good day.

A little while later, Elora was snuggled on Granny's lap while Granny sat in a rocking chair, moving back and forth slowly. "How are you doing, Elora Louise?" Granny asked.

Elora frowned slightly as she remembered the previous day's events. She decided to start with the good parts. She had never told her about Tom. She wondered if Granny would view him differently. "I made a friend at the park."

"Oh?"

"His name is Tom. He's an orphan, but he goes to the park the first Saturday of the month. Mummy thinks he's a muggle, but I know he's a wizard. We did magic together _and _he can speak Parseltongue!"

Granny's eyes flashed in surprise. "My, that's a rare gift."

Elora nodded. "I know. Mum doesn't believe he's a wizard, though." She frowned at the memory. "And she said that if he is, he is probably a muggle-born. That doesn't matter, does it, Granny?" She looked at the older woman anxiously, begging for her own beliefs to be confirmed.

"Of course not, darling," Granny said, wrapping her arms around her granddaughter. "It would not even matter if you were a muggle. The only thing that is important is that he is a good friend."

Elora smiled slightly. That was what she had thought. She was not sure if Tom would be a good friend yet, but she was willing to give him a chance. Her smile faded when she remembered her mother's actions. "Mum told me not to talk to him," she said sadly. "She hit me again." She glanced down at her hands, unable to look at her grandmother.

"I'm sorry dear," Granny said in a soft voice after a moment of silence. "I'll try to talk to her."

"No!" Elora cried, looking up at her in terror. "You'll make it worse!"

A look of compassion crossed Granny's face. "Trust me Elora, alright?"

Elora bit her lip and then nodded her head. "Ok." She relaxed again as she leaned her head against her grandma's chest. She always felt safe and comfortable with her. She wished she could say here forever. "Why doesn't Mummy love me?"

There was another moment of silence before Granny spoke. "She does love you, darling. She just doesn't know how to show it."

"She shows Braeden and Emile," Elora sniffed.

Granny let out a sigh. "It's different with them, dear."

"I'm the problem," Elora murmured. It had to be true. Why else would she be singled out for such treatment? Her parents had said as much themselves.

Granny abruptly pulled Elora away from her chest, making her look at her. There was a stern look on her face. "Elora Leatherby, do not say such things," she said. "Do not believe a word your mother says about you. You are a very special girl, do you hear me?"

Elora blinked in surprise. "Y-yes, Granny."

Granny's features immediately relaxed, and she smiled at her granddaughter. "Now, would you like me to tell you a story?"

Elora immediately brightened. She _adored_ Granny's stories. "Yes, please!"

Granny chuckled lightly. "Alright."

Elora felt better as she snuggled back into her chest and let her imagination run away once again.

Granny had agreed to always be the one to take Elora to the park. The young girl was happy as she skipped away to her and Tom's unofficial meeting place. She was hurting again. Her mother had punished her the night before as a reminder about her orders for the next day. Elora did not care. Nothing could stop her once she was determined about something.

Tom had not yet arrived, so Elora sat down and picked at the grass, allowing her mind to wander. She did not have to wait long. At the sound of soft footsteps, she stood up to greet her friend. "Hi!" she said brightly.

"Hello," Tom said in a calm tone. He did not look hostile like he had the first time they had met, but he still did not appear too pleased.

Elora wanted to make him smile. She wanted to show him that there was much in life to be happy about. If she could do it, then so could he. "How are you?"

"Fine… now," Tom said. "I like the park. It's much better than the orphanage."

"I like it too," Elora said with a slight smile.

"Was that your mum who took you away last month?"

Elora was surprised at the question. She did not think he would have remembered. Well, there was no harm in telling him the truth. She was not good at lying anyway. "Yes."

"She doesn't like me." The statement came out flat, and there was no emotion on his face.

Elora frowned. "She thinks you're a muggle," she confessed. "Or a muggle-born."

"A what?"

Elora sighed. She wished she did not have to explain. The distinction really did not matter; Granny had said so herself. "A muggle-born is someone without magical parents. They just have powers for some reason. It happens quite often. Some wizards, like my parents, don't like muggle-borns because they think they stole powers from real wizards or something." She rolled her eyes. "It's silly, really. They think magic should stay within wizarding families, so they think muggle-borns are just as bad as muggles."

There was a hint of interest in Tom's face as he listened to the explanation. "And what's wrong with muggles? That's what I always thought I was."

Elora shrugged. "Nothing, really. We're all people. I talk to muggles all the time. Some wizards think they're better than muggles because they have magic powers and muggles don't. It really doesn't matter, though. I would like you even if you were a muggle."

Tom blinked. "What about your mum?"

Elora hesitated. She was not sure how much to tell him. "She told me not to talk to you. I won't listen, though, no matter much she punishes me."

Tom raised his eyebrows. "Punishes?"

Elora nodded. "Look." She pulled up her shirt to reveal the deep blue and purple bruise on her stomach.

Tom gasped, and it was the first sign of emotion she had gotten from him. "Your _mum_ did that?"

Elora lowered her shirt and nodded, smiling sadly. "Yeah. And my dad. They said they had to teach me a lesson."

Tom's eyes darkened. "Does this happen often?"

Elora faltered. "Well…" She glanced down at the ground out of embarrassment. "No. Just when I do something they don't like, which seems to be a lot."

"Elora," Tom's sharp voice said, and she immediately looked up because this was the first time he had ever addressed her by name. Hs face was hard and controlled. He lifted his own shirt to reveal a bruise similar to hers. He turned around, and she saw deep red lines on his back.

Elora's eyes widened. "What?" She had never met any kid who received similar treatment to herself. She thought it was just her. "Who-"

"The other boys," Tom said grimly as he dropped his arms. "They don't like me. And they get me into trouble so that the adults hurt me as well."

Elora was instantly filled with sympathy and compassion. "I'm sorry."

Tom tilted his head to the side slightly as he looked at her. "Why is having a family better than what I have if this is how they treat you?"

Elora frowned and became trouble. He did have a point there. Their lives seemed to be similar in ways she had never expected. But… It was different, wasn't it? Granny had said her parents loved her. Maybe if she figured out how to please them, they would stop. "They just want what's best for me," she said quietly, repeating her parents' own words.

Tom did not look convinced. In fact, his eyes tightened. "Do they call you names? Tell you you're not worth anything?"

Elora flinched. How did he know? Then she realized it must have been from personal experience. She swallowed and nodded her head.

Tom took several steps closer to her. "What good is there in that? Why should I want it?" His eyes seemed to be alive with a challenge; his jaw was clenched tightly.

Elora opened her mouth, but no words came out. There had to be something she could tell him to convince him that he was wrong. "Not all families are like that," she started. "And my life isn't all bad. I have Granny."

"She doesn't hurt you?" Tom said.

Elora shook her head. "No, never. She's always nice and kind. She hugs me and tells me good things. She would never hurt me. She loves me. She makes me feel good."

"Then that is what you have that I don't," Tom said, dipping his head.

"You might be able to find someone like that," Elora began timidly.

"No," Tom said. "It's not worth the effort." He paused, and his face became speculative. "Except maybe… you."

A hopeful smile formed on Elora's face. "Yes! I will be good to you, Tom." She felt a sudden need to be there for him like Granny was there for her. Everyone deserved at least one person who loved them. She did not know where she would be if not for her Granny.

Tom seemed to consider her. "We'll see," he said.

"Do you want to meet my Granny?" she asked. Maybe if he met her, he would realize the good things that came out of relationships.

"No," Tom said flatly.

Elora's face fell. Maybe she should try something else. "Well… Granny told me a really good story the other day. Do you want me to tell you?"

Tom was silent for a minute. His eyes seemed to be boring into hers. It was almost as if he was trying to decide if she was worth his time. "Ok," he said at last.

Elora smiled. "Let's sit." After the two of them had sat down in the grass, she began the story. She expanded on what Granny had told her, and she animated her voice and used physical gestures. She found that Tom was good at listening, which pleased her. Too many people were always telling her to be quiet. It felt good to have someone her own age with whom she could talk.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Tom was not sure what to think about the Elora girl. He had never met anyone like her. For some reason, she liked him. No other kid he had ever met had liked him, at least not for long. Perhaps that was because he had not met many kids outside of the orphanage. Kids with families might be nicer. Still, hearing about Elora's parents, it did not seem like the family environment was much better than the orphanage. She did say she had one person who loved her, though. Maybe she did have the better life, and perhaps that was why she was different.

Eventually, Tom stopped questioning it. Did it really matter why Elora wanted to be his friend as long as she was sincere? He highly doubted she was manipulating him. The question was, did he want a friend? He did not need anyone but himself; he had learned to become self-sufficient. Still, there were benefits to being friends with Elora, the most obvious being that she could tell him about the wizarding world.

He also found he was oddly at peace when he was around her. It felt _good _to be liked. She was certainly like no one he had ever known. He liked the stories she shared and the games she made up. He could see how it could be easy and even beneficial to get lost in a fantasy world, especially when the real world seemed so terrible. He admired how upbeat she managed to remain despite her life circumstances. Lastly, she knew what it was like to be abused, and that common experience formed the basis for a bond that was forming between them.

It was cold when Tom arrived at the part he first Saturday of January. White snow blanketed the ground and covered the equipment. No one was playing. All of the children were at the other end of the park, sledding down the large hill. The orphanage always brought several sleds for the kids to share. Tom rarely got a turn. When he did manage to find a sled, he had to protect it fiercely less someone snatch it back from him.

He was not sure where he was supposed to meet Elora today, so he just stood at the top of the hill and watched the other children slide down. Everyone seemed to be ignoring him, which he found to be a good thing. Most attention to him was usually negative attention.

"Tom!"

The young boy turned to see Elora running toward him. She was wearing a heavy coat, scarf, hat, mittens, and boots. Everything looked like it was made of fine material. Tom, on the other hand, merely had a worn coat, boots, and gloves.

Elora stopped several feet in front of him. She bent down and rested her hands on her knees as she panted. After a minute, she looked up and gave him a weak smile. "Hey."

"Hey," Tom said.

Elora seemed to have caught her breath as she stood up. "Do you want to meet Granny _now_? She has a sled we can use."

Tom blinked. He was never particularly eager to meet anyone, but he supposed it could not harm in this case. "Ok."

Elora grinned at him. "Great. Follow me."

Tom trudged through the snow after her. It looked like they were headed for the parking lot. He could see an older woman who was dressed similarly to Elora who had a red sled in her hand. He guessed this was her grandma. They even had the same white-blond hair. He stopped beside Elora once they reached the woman.

"Granny!" Elora said excitedly. "This is Tom!" She turned to the boy and smiled. "Tom, this is my Granny."

"Hello, dear," Granny said with a warm smile. "How are you doing on this pleasant afternoon?"

Tom took a moment to take her in. He had never met anyone's grandmother before; he did not know what they were like. If what Elora had told him was true, perhaps they were better than parents. He would give her a chance. He shrugged in response to her question. "I'm fine." It was always a good day when he visited the park.

"Good. Are you two ready to go sledding?" She held up the red sled in front of her.

"Yes!" Elora exclaimed.

Granny smiled and led the way back to the hill. Tom walked beside Elora as they followed her. He wondered if they would be expected to use the sled at the same time. He was not used to sharing, and he was not sure what he would think about it. Of course, Elora could always be an exception to any rule.

Once they reached a spot on the hill where there was no one around, Granny set the sled on the snow. "Alright," she said, "Elora, sit at the front of the sled. Tom, she set in the back."

Tom blinked. So, they were sharing. He sat down on the sled first, making sure to move back as far as possible. Then Elora carefully sat in front of him in between his legs. She leaned back against his chest and he instinctively wrapped his arms around her. He felt oddly comfortable. He waited for what was to happen next.

Granny walked around behind them. "Ready?" she said.

"Yes!" Elora called.

"Alright. Hang on!"

Then the sled moved forward. It tipped over the edge of the hill and then slid down. Elora raised her arms and screamed joyfully, but Tom kept his arms around her. The feeling he received from sledding down the hill was good. They slid farther than the kids who were not sharing a sled.

"Let's do it again!" Elora said as she jumped off the sled.

Tom stood up slower, but he nodded in agreement. He ignored the eyes of the other children that were on him. This activity was delightful, and he was not about to let them ruin it. For once, winter was fun.

He had another surprise a little bit later when he and Elora were resting at the top of the hill. "Oh," Elora said suddenly as she dug into her coat pocket. She pulled out something small wrapped in blue paper. "I know it was your birthday a few days ago, so happy birthday." She smiled and held out the small gift.

Tom was dumbstruck as he slowly took the object from her hand. No one had _ever_ given him a gift, least of all for his birthday. The day of his birth was always just like any other. Worse, it made him think of his mother. He unwrapped the paper to find a small, pastel-colored top. He turned it over, wondering at it.

"I know it's not much," Elora said with a slight smile, "but-"

"It's great," Tom interrupted her. "Thank you."

At this, a bright smile lit Elora's face. She walked closer and hugged him.

Tom hesitated before hugging her back. It was a bit awkward because of their bulky coats, but he enjoyed it just the same. It felt good to be remembered and appreciated. If this was what friendship was supposed to be, he liked it.

Tom continued trying to produce magic on his own. He was growing frustrated with his continual lack of success. If he had not trusted Elora, he could have said the magic they had produced together was a fluke or a figment of their imaginations. He could not believe this, however. The consequences would be to grave.

Besides, he could still talk to snakes. That had to count for something, right? They found hum whenever he was outside. They would whisper things to him; tell him secrets. Sometimes it was somewhat disturbing, but he could not stop the contact. He was fascinated with the creatures. He had not known they possessed such intelligence. Perhaps they would make useful allies, though he did not yet dare try to persuade them to obey him.

Of course, his relationship with snakes just caused the other kids to view him as even odder. They best of them thought he was crazy, and the worst thought him demonic, as snakes were often a symbol of evil. Tom did not think snakes were bad, though. Elora had said they were the symbol of Slytherin, one of the four houses at Hogwarts. The wizarding school would not have an evil house, would it? That would be preposterous. No, snakes were simply misunderstood. Like him.

The first time he managed to produce magic on his own, it had not been through choice. It had happened spontaneously as he was fleeing his tormentors – the same three boys that had chased after him and Elora that first day at the park. They had cornered him outside; his back was pressed against the building, and he had no way out. He had shut his eyes to wait for the blow, but when he opened them again, he saw something strange.

The boys were covered in some sticky substance Tom had never seen before. He looked up to make sure nothing had been dropped on them, but he could find no logical explanation for the situation. His young mind concluded that it must have been magic. Magic _he _created.

The sticky substance made the boys immobile, so Tom was able to quickly get away from them, a wide grin on his face. He could not wait to tell Elora.

She listened attentively as he told her the story during their meeting in April. For once, he spoke animatedly, putting emotion in his voice. Why shouldn't he? This was so exciting! When he was finished he paused and waited for his friend to speak, eager to hear her opinion.

"Wow," Elora said, appearing fascinated by the story. "Sounds like magic to me."

"Yes!" Tom said happily. His eyes were dancing with delight. He had done it. He had really performed magic! He was a real wizard.

"I haven't been able to do anything like that," Elora said, "but you are older than me."

"When's your birthday?"

"May 16th."

Tom would have to remember that. He did not have any money and so could not buy her anything (he did not even have anything with which to make something), but he could still try to do something special for her. It would have to be on an earlier Saturday, though, because they would not be meeting exactly on her birthday.

"I'm sure you'll be able to do magic soon," he said. "I want to try to control it."

"That's hard," Elora said. "Especially without a wand and spells. That's what school is for."

"Then I'll just be ahead." He shrugged. "It's not like I have anything better to do."

"Except right now," Elora said, a small smile creeping up on his face.

"Except now." For some reason, Tom found himself smiling in return. This was not something normal to him, and he did not quite understand it. He had never had much to smile about. Until now.

"I like your smile," Elora said softly. "You should do it more often."

Tom blinked in surprise at the compliment. Then the smile returned as he scooted closer to her and put his arm around her. "Only for you," he whispered.

He saw her smile as she leaned against him. Tom had a growing feeling that he could not comprehend, but he could not deny how much he liked it. For once, he felt perfectly at peace.

Tom continued to spontaneously produce magic at an exponential pace. He attempted to control it and use it to his advantage, but he was not having much success. He could feel the magic in him, though. He knew he was special. This knowledge alone gave him enough motivation to bear anything that was brought his way through living at the orphanage. He knew this life would not last; he was destined for so much more than all of these other kids, and, one day, he would prove his greatness to them all.

At the end of July, he had successful. When it had first happened, he could hardly believe he had succeeded. It had not been very elaborate. He had simply wished for something bad to happen to the boy who was teasing him or, rather, his rabbit. Tom had willed something negative, and his magic had taken effect. Vines had shot out from a bush and strangled the boy's pet. The boy had been horrified, but when he went to a caretaker, there was no logical link to Tom. The caretaker had no choice but to let him off.

Tom felt very good. Over the next few days, he noticed some of the kids were looking at him differently. They seemed almost wary of him. Good. If he could learn how to control his magic and use it against them, then they would leave him alone out of fear.

Elora seemed less enthusiastic about this story when he told her. It was the first Saturday of August. They had been meeting for an entire year, and Tom had seen a vast improvement in his life. It could only get better.

"Did you really have to take it out on the rabbit?" Elora asked, uncertainty showing on her face.

Tom frowned. "I didn't specifically want _that_ to happen. I just wanted _something_."

"Maybe you could have been more defensive-"

Tom shook his head. "It's not that easy. I'm trying to learn how to get it to do exactly what I want. Besides, that kid deserved it, didn't he? He was picking on me."

Elora bit her lip. "Well, I suppose…"

"I just want to hurt those who hurt me," Tom said, anxious to make her understand. He did not know why, but he did not want her to view him in a bad light. He had to defend his actions. "They'll leave me alone after awhile, and then I won't have to bother anyone. I'll be able to live without worry of being attacked."

Elora nodded slowly. "I understand," she said softly. "It makes sense."

The way she had saddened and was looking away made Tom's anger melt away to be replaced by concern. "Have your parents been hitting you?" he asked quietly.

Elora nodded again. She did not speak, but he could see tears forming in her eyes.

Tom felt something tug at his heart, and he instantly moved over to her side so that he could be closer to her. He did not understand this strange feeling, but it was not something he could easily deny. "I'm sorry," he said gently as he put an arm around her.

He was surmised when she turned and wrapped both arms around him, burying her face in his chest. "It's my fault," she said miserably. "I'm disobedient. I shouldn't anger them. Maybe they're right."

Something flashed inside Tom, and he wrapped his other arm around Elora to hold her close to him. "_No_," he said sternly. "They are _wrong_. It is not right what they do. It's not your fault. You don't deserve it. I think you're amazing."

Elora sniffed and looked up at him with tear-stained eyes. "Really?"

"Of course," Tom said. "You're my friend. I'm here for you. I will always listen." He found it outraging that anyone would want to hurt a girl like Elora who had been nothing but kind to him ever since he had met her. He wanted to make her parents pay, and it made him angry that there was nothing he could do. Someday, though, when he was stronger. He would make sure Elora was safe from harm always.

"Thank you, Tom," Elora whispered.

Tom could not explain the good feeling that slowly came over him, and he did not really want to. Maybe having a friend was something to cherish after all.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Elora was grateful she was able to convince Granny to always be the one to bring her to the park when Tom would be there. Her parents were still suspicious of her, but they never had any proof. Occasionally, they would threaten or punish her for her insubordination, but other than that, they left the issue alone.

Elora was glad. She loved spending time with Tom. She had never had a friend stick around for so long. Maybe it was because he was in a similar situation. He had a similar life as her own, and he could understand what she was going through. He was not big on words, but he was always there to be with her when she needed him. Plus, he enjoyed her stories and took part in her games. And she would already have a friend when she finally got to go to Hogwarts. What more could she ask for?

The new school year soon approached. Elora would be left alone with her parents again. The situation was not as bad as she had initially thought it would be because she now had Tom. Still, she felt a sort of longing as the family got ready for her siblings' departure.

Elora stood outside Emile's door, silently observing her pack. After awhile, Elora spoke up, "Emile, what's it like to be in Slytherin?" That was where her sister had been sorted the previous year.

"It's fantastic, of course," Emile said with an air of superiority. Her reddish-brown screech owl chirped from his cage. The girl walked over to him, pulled out a treat, and held it out to the bird. When she was finished, she turned to look at her little sister with a slight frown. "Don't bet on getting in, though. You're not well-suited for Slytherin."

Elora's face fell at these words. This was not what she wanted to hear. She hesitated as she tried to formulate another question. "What about Ravenclaw?"

"Ravenclaw?" Braeden piped up as he happened to be walking by. He stopped and turned to face his sisters. "Ravenclaw is for those who have gifted intellects."

"Slytherins are smart too," Emile said quickly. "Just in a more practical way."

Braeden nodded. "That's a good way to put it. Ravenclaw is more focused on books. And we have clever minds." He smirked, seeming pleased about something.

"Could I get into there?" Elora asked. She was not sure about Slytherin, but Ravenclaw seemed pretty good. That was her Granny's house! Wouldn't it be wonderful if they could share that as well?

Braeden looked at her with uncertainty in his eyes. "I don't know. I'm not sure you've got what it takes."

"Don't worry," Emile said in a condescending tone, "I'm sure Hufflepuff or Gryffindor would pick you up."

Braeden smiled wickedly. "I would love to see what Mum and Dad do if that happens."

A look of horror crossed Elora's face. She knew they were right about their parents. She could _not_ allow this to happen. She did not need to give her parents any more reason to hate her. But could she really change who she was?

"You mean _when_," Emile said. She and Braeden broke out laughing.

Elora felt her face heat up as she left them. Talking to them had not been a good idea at all. Maybe she needed a second opinion.

Once again, Elora was not allowed to see off her siblings at King's Cross, which was another place she had never been. She was fine with it, though, because she got to visit Granny. Her parents were quick in dropping her off; they did not even take time to say hello. Elora briefly wondered what Granny had done to offend them.

After being treated to milk and cookies, Elora sat down next to Granny on the couch in the petite living room, which was decorated with blue and bronze. "Granny," she said, "which house do you think I'm going to be in when I go to Hogwarts?"

"I do not know, dear," Granny said. "It's not for a long time."

Elora let out a short sigh. "I know. I just…" She bit her lip as she thought about what to say. She knew she could trust her Granny. "I'm afraid. What if I don't get into a good one? What if I'm not good enough?"

Granny chuckled lightly. "You worry too much, Elora. All four of the houses are fine. They cannot be divided into good and bad. Besides, all of us have a little of the traits of each of them in us."

Elora's eyes widened in wonder as she looked up at her. This was not something she had ever heard before. Could it be true? "Even me?"

Granny smiled. "Yes, even you, shining light. Do you want me to show you?"

Elora nodded. If she could possibly be put in any house, then she was going to be fine!

"Alright. Let's see…" A thoughtful expression crossed Granny's face. When Elora snuggled into her side, Granny lifted her arm and put it around the girl, who smiled up at her. "You're kind, caring, and loyal like a Hufflepuff. Wouldn't you say so?"

"Yes," Elora said. These were some traits she had already noticed in herself, and it was one of the reasons she feared being put into that house.

Granny smiled. "Good. Your sense of daring and adventure is just like a Gryffindor."

"Adventures are fun," Elora said with a grin. This, too, she had already known. Was Gryffindor where she would be sorted?

"I'm sure you have the potential for great courage as well," Granny said. She paused. "As for the other two… I see aspects of Ravenclaw in you as well. You're much more intelligent than your parents give you credit for. You have a love of learning, and you seek knowledge and truth, which is why you're constantly in combat with your parents. You're very unique and original as well."

Elora's eyes had grown wide again as she listened to her speak. "Do I really have so many of those traits?" she nearly whispered. She could not believe it; all this time she thought there was no chance she would get into Ravenclaw. But now… Everything seemed to change.

Granny smiled warmly at her. "Of course. You remind me much of myself when I was your age. I think you have a good chance of being sorted into Ravenclaw, but it would be fine if you were put into any of the others. The important thing is to focus on the good qualities of your house. Be proud of wherever you are sorted."

A slight smile formed on Elora's face. She was feeling much better now. She had been too worried about what her parents thought and wanted. It did not seem like anything she did could please them, so why not go after what she wanted? There was one last piece of information missing, though. "What about Slytherin? Do I have any of those traits?"

Granny instantly smiled. "You know how you're determined to be friends with that boy Tom no matter what anyone says?"

"Yes," Elora said, not quite understanding.

"That determination and perseverance is exactly like a Slytherin," Granny said.

Elora brightened. "Oh!" She smiled, pleased that her Granny had shown she was right. Maybe everyone did have some traits of all the houses after all. "Thank you."

"Of course, dear."

"I wonder where Tom will be sorted," Elora said, thinking out loud.

Granny smiled. "Can you assess his traits?"

Elora thought about it for a minute, but it made her brain hurt. She shrugged. "Not Gryffindor or Hufflepuff, I don't think. Probably Ravenclaw or Slytherin." She was sure he did have traits of the other two houses; she just did not recognize them yet. She hoped they would be in the same house. It would be just great if they had all of their classes together.

"I'm sure he'll be fine wherever he is place," Granny said. "Just like you."

Elora smiled. "I can't wait." Why was the date not coming any sooner?

The days were growing colder. Elora bundled up in a neon yellow coat and matching hat as she made her way outside. She wanted to go out and explore the world! There was so much to do and see; she wanted to take in as much information as possible. She was grateful that her parents let her roam the streets of the mostly-wizarding neighborhood.

She noticed and interesting-looking rock on the road and had just bent down to inspect it when she heard a condescending female voice say, "_What_ are you wearing?"

Elora stood up to come face-to-face with the speaker, Laurie, who was her long-time nemesis. Her squad was there as well. There was Jean, Marjorie, and Mildred. They were witches of the neighborhood, and they were constantly harassing Elora. She did not know why they could not just leave her alone. "They're pretty," she said in defense of her jacket and hat. She liked neon. It made her stick out.

Laurie snorted. "It's blinding us."

"Yeah," Marjorie said, sticking her nose in the air. "Besides, it's atrocious."

Elora's face fell. She knew she should not care about their opinion, but it still hurt. "I like it," she mumbled.

"Get out of our way," said Jena. "We've got somewhere to be."

"Where are you going?" Elora asked, unable to help her curiosity. She knew these girls always did exciting things.

"There's a giant oak tree with hole that has been enchanted with magic to become larger," Laurie said as she puffed out her chest. "We're going to check it out. Maybe we'll get our names in the paper."

"I'm sure we're going to learn a lot," Mildred said, her eyes bright and animated.

Elora thought it sounded pretty interesting as well. "Can I come with you?" she asked hopefully. She gave them her best smile in an attempt to convince them.

"In _that_?" Jean sneered.

Elora frowned. "I can take it off. I can change into something else."

"_No_," Laurie said, taking a firm step forward. "You're _not_ invited."

"We wouldn't want you with us if our lives depended on it," Marjorie said haughtily.

"Go play with your imaginary friend," Laurie said as she led the group forward.

Elora felt crushed by the harsh treatment, and she was at a loss for words. Mildred and Marjorie passed her on either side roughly shoving her as they did so. Elora shut her eyes tightly to keep the tears from falling down. Only when she was certain the girls were gone did she open them again.

It was a beautiful afternoon the first Saturday of May. The sun warmed up Elora's skin and made her feel happy and content. This was going to be a good day; she could just feel it. Looking up at the sky, she could not see a single cloud. This was just how she liked it. She was not fond of winter; it was too dark and cold. She was excited that summer, her favorite season, was fast approaching. In the summer, she could escape her family much more often due to the nice weather.

Elora hugged her Granny before skipping off to find Tom. This day, she had not brought any items to use for her games. Recently, she had found her imagination to be enough to crowd out the need for props.

She could see the orphanage children on the playground, so she knew he must be there. Looking around their usually spot, however, she could not find him. She frowned as she wondered what had gone wrong. She jumped up in fright when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

She spun around to find Tom standing there with an amused expression on his face. "Oh, hi," she said.

Tom smirked. "Hi." He pulled his arm out from behind his back to reveal a handful of daisies. He held them out to her. "Happy birthday, Elora."

It was not her birthday until a couple of weeks, but she knew what he meant. She gasped in delight as she accepted the daisies. "Thank you, Tom!" She pulled him into a hug, smiling when he hugged her back. It felt so good to be around him. Her parents did celebrate her birthday. They gave her expensive gifts and had an elegant meal with delicious deserts, but it lacked the caring that was in Tom's actions.

Elora wanted to show him how much she appreciated his friendship. She could use words, but she thought actions would be better. Besides, she was feeling a bit impulsive. As she pulled away from him, she kissed him on the cheek.

Tom's eyes lit up in surprise, but then a small smile formed on his face, making her happy. "Do you want to go play on the jungle gym?" he asked.

"Ok!" she said brightly. She glanced down at the flowers in her hand. "I'll just go give these to Granny."

A little while later, Elora and Tom were lying in the grass side-by-side. Elora had her eyes shut because it hurt to have the sun shine on them. She did not even mind the silence between her and her friend. She was perfectly content where she was. Like she had anticipated, the day had been perfect. The only bad part would be when she had to leave. Still, every day that went by was one more day closer to Hogwarts.

"Tom," Elora said, "can we get married someday?" Maybe it was too early to be thinking about it but she did not want to be apart from him ever. It hurt too much to be away from him most days of the month.

"Of course," Tom said in a matter-of-fact tone. "I would not think about marrying anyone else."

Elora smiled at his answer. It made her feel warm inside. "Good." She sat up in the grass and turned to look at him. He seemed very peaceful as well. "Tom, you're the best friend I have ever had." Well, he was her _only_ true friend, but that was beside the point.

Tom sat up as well. They were very close to each other, and Elora could see the dark brown of his eyes that usually appeared black. "You're my best friend too," he said.

Elora smiled again. "Promise me we'll be friends forever."

Tom gazed at her with a look that was hard to read, but she had a feeling that it meant he cared deeply about her. "I promise," he said firmly. "But I will promise more." He took both of her hands in his.

She was startled by action, for it was unusual of him. It felt good, though. She found herself unable to look away from his eyes.

"I promise to make a better life for you," Tom said. His tone was resolute. He meant what he was saying. "I promise to take you away from anyone who would hurt you. I will make sure you are safe. And I promise we will live a good life together."

Elora could not comprehend everything he was saying, but it sounded pretty good to her. It was everything she wanted, and she knew the two of them could make it come true. He had promised.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: There is one more chapter until they get to Hogwarts.

Chapter 6

The months passed by, and they were better than Tom had ever expected. He had now gained quite a grasp on his magic, and he used it frequently. It was very useful in scaring off anyone who would have trouble with him. The other kids were scared of him, he noticed. They usually left him alone, and those who would not got what was coming to them. It was quite fun to torment his previous tormentors, actually.

He did not tell Elora about this. She always seemed uncomfortable when he brought it up, so he thought it was better to just not mention it altogether. The two of them had grown close over the several years they had known each other. She made Tom feel happy, which was not something he was used to feeling, especially from another person. He also had a strong desire to protect her that he did not quite understand. He just knew that they had to stick together because it was better that way.

Soon, they were both 11-years-old. Elora was very excited to receive her letter from Hogwarts. Tom was still skeptical that anyone in the magical world would know about his existence, but one July afternoon, it happened.

Tom had been sitting on his bed reading a book when he heard a knock on the door. Then Mrs. Cole, the matron, entered with a strange-looking man. The man had a long hair and beard, which were both auburn. The oddest part was his plum velvet suit. Tom's eyes narrowed as he took him in.

"Tom?" said Mrs. Cole. "You've got a visitor. This is Mr. Dumberton-sorry, Dunderbore. He's come to tell you-well, I'll let him do it."

"How do you do, Tom?" the man said, walking forward and holding out his hand.

Tom hesitated before setting his book down and shaking his hand. He was unsure about this whole situation. He never received visitors. He thought no one in the outside world except Elora cared that he was alive. Maybe the only one at all.

The man drew up a chair and sat down. "I am Professor Dumbledore."

"'Professor'?" Tom repeated. He looked wary. "Is that like 'doctor'? What are you here for? Did she get you in to have a look at me?" He pointed at the door through which Mrs. Cole had just left.

"No, no," Dumbledore said, smiling.

"I don't believe you," Tom said. "She wants me looked at, doesn't she? Tell the truth!" He spoke the words with great force. Everyone was always trying to lie to him. No one would give him any respect. He was highly suspicious of this professor character. Then again, why did his name sound so familiar? He was probably just imagining it. He glared at Dumbledore, wanting him to go away. Why couldn't everyone just leave him alone? He stopped glaring and asked, "Who are you?"

"I have told you. My name is Professor Dumbledore and I work at a school called Hogwarts. I have come to offer you a place at my school-your new school, if you would like to come."

Tom's eyes widened at this, and all traces of hostility and wariness vanished from his face. Hogwarts! So, Elora had been right after all. "Yes," he said immediately. "Hogwarts is the magic school, isn't it? I'm a wizard, right?"

Dumbledore seemed surprised that he already had this knowledge. "Yes, you are a wizard, like me. Hogwarts is a place to study magic."

Tom nodded. "I know. My friend Elora told me. She's a witch I meet at the park the first Saturday of every month. She's told me all about Hogwarts and the wizarding world." His eyes were now lit with excitement. It was finally coming true!

Dumbledore smiled again. "Really? Would this be Elora Leatherby?"

"Yes," Tom said. "Do you know her?"

"I have never met her," Dumbledore said, "but she is on the list to start Hogwarts this year. It is good that you have met her. It is always great to start off school with a friend."

"Are you really a wizard?" Tom asked, hardly able to believe it.

"Yes, I am."

"Prove it," Tom said in a commanding tone. He had to be absolutely sure this was the real deal. He did not want to get his hopes up for nothing.

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows. "If you are accepting your place at Hogwarts, then you will address me as 'professor' or 'sir.'"

Tom realized he was probably coming off as too harsh. This man was offering something he wanted; it was probably best to be polite lest he ruin his chances. "I'm sorry, sir. I meant-please, professor, could you show me-?"

After a second, Dumbledore drew his wand from an inside pocket of his suit jacket, pointed it at the shabby wardrobe in the corner, and gave the wand a casual flick. The wardrobe burst into flames.

Tom jumped to his feet in surprise. Then he howled in shock and raged, for the wardrobe was where all of his possessions were stored. As he rounded on Dumbledore, the flames vanished, leaving the wardrobe completely undamaged.

Tom stared from the wardrobe to Dumbledore. Then he pointed at the wand. "When can I get one of them?"

"All in good time," Dumbledore said. "I think there is something trying to get out of your wardrobe."

Sure enough, there was a faint rattling coming from inside the wardrobe. Tom felt scared, for he knew what was inside.

"Open the door," Dumbledore said.

Tom hesitated and then crossed the room and threw open the wardrobe door. On the topmost shelf, above a rail of threadbare clothes, a small cardboard box was shaking and rattling as though there were several frantic mice trapped inside it.

"Take it out," said Dumbledore.

Tom took down the quaking box. He looked unnerved.

"Is there anything in that box that you ought not to have?" Dumbledore asked.

Tom threw Dumbledore a long, clear, calculating look. "Yes, I suppose so, sir," he said finally, in an expressionless voice. How did he know?

"Open it," Dumbledore said.

Tom took off the lid and tipped the contents onto his bed without looking at them. He knew was there: a yo-yo, a silver thimble, and a tarnished mouth organ.

"You will return them to their owners with your apologies," Dumbledore said calmly, putting his wand back into his jacket. "I shall know whether it has been done. And be warned: thieving is not tolerated at Hogwarts."

Tom stared at Dumbledore. Fine; he would do what he had to do in order to study magic. This was what was needed to achieve his destiny. "Yes, sir."

"At Hogwarts," Dumbledore went on, "we teach you not only to use magic, but to control it. You have - inadvertently, I am sure-been using your powers in a way that is neither taught nor tolerated at our school. You are not the first, nor will you be the last, to allow your magic to run away with you. But you should know that Hogwarts can expel students, and the Ministry of Magic-yes, there is a Ministry-will punish lawbreakers still more severely. All new wizards must accept that, in entering our world, they abide by our laws."

"Yes, sir," Tom said again. Yes, he would have to abide by the rules and laws. That was the only way he could get what he wanted. He put the objects back inside the box and then turned to Dumbledore. "I haven't got any money."

"That is easily remedied," Dumbledore said, drawing a leather money-pouch from his pocket. "There is a fund at Hogwarts for those who require assistance to buy books and robes. You might have to buy some of your spellbooks and so on secondhand, but -"

"You buy spellbooks at Diagon Alley, right?" Tom interrupted. He took the money bag and pulled out a fat coin.

"Why, yes," Dumbledore said. "I have your list of books and school equipment with me. I can help you find everything -"

"You're coming with me?" Tom said, looking up. He still did not know what to think about this man, and he did not want to be with him any longer than necessary.

"Certainly, if you -"

"I don't need you," Tom said. "I want to go with Elora. She said her Granny would take me when she goes. I have to meet her there. How do you get to Diagon Alley-sir?"

"Of course you may go with her," Dumbledore said. He handed Tom an envelope. After telling him exactly how to get to a place called the Leaky Cauldron from the orphanage, he said, "You will be able to see it, although Muggles around you-non-magical people, that is-will not. Ask for Tom the barman-easy enough to remember, as he shares your name -"

Tom gave an irritable twitch at the sound of his name.

"You dislike the name 'Tom'?"

"There are a lot of Toms," Tom muttered. Then, he could not suppress the question on his mind any longer, so he said, "Was my father a wizard? He was called Tom Riddle too, they've told me."

"I'm afraid I don't know," said Dumbledore, his voice gentle.

"My mother can't have been magic, or she wouldn't have died," Tom said, more to himself than Dumbledore. "It must've been him. So-when I've got all my stuff- when do I come to Hogwarts?" He could not remember what Elora had said.

"All the details are on the second piece of parchment in your envelope," Dumbledore said. "You will leave from King's Cross Station on the first of September. There is a train ticket in there too."

Tom nodded. Dumbledore got to his feet and held out his hand again. Taking it, Tom said, "I can speak to snakes. Elora says it's not normal for a wizard."

"It is unusual," Dumbledore said in agreement, and, after a moment's hesitation, "but not unheard of."

The two of them stood staring at each other for a moment, taking each other in. Then the handshake was broken and Dumbledore was at the door. "Goodbye, Tom," he said. "I shall see you at Hogwarts."

Tom was relieved when he was gone. He had gotten what he had wanted. He felt a sense of pride building up inside of him. He was going to Hogwarts!

Tom had been to London on his own many times in the past, so it was no problem when he set out to find the Leaky Cauldron. He took out his list of needed supplies and looked it over once more before departing:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL o f WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)  
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear  
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)  
4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk  
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot  
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling  
A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch  
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore  
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger  
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander  
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand  
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)  
1 set of glass or crystal phials  
1 telescope set  
1 brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

Tom was glad there were quite a few items on the list, for this meant he got to spend more time with Elora. He was sure she would make great fun of the new adventure that had been laid out before them. The most exciting of which, of course, was getting their wands. She had told him that wands were made differently to match the personality of its wizard. It was quite interesting.

It took some effort to find the Leaky Cauldron, but Tom finally managed. It was a tiny, grubby-looking pub. He wondered why a place so famous did not look any better. The inside was not much of an improvement. It was very dark and shabby, and there were odd people sitting around.

"May I help you?" the barman said when he noticed Tom.

"I'm supposed to meet a friend here, sir," Tom said. "Elora Leatherby."

The man smiled. "I know the Leatherbys. They come by every year. I've never met Elora, though. She must be their youngest daughter."

Tom nodded. "She is."

Just then, the door to the pub opened, and Elora stepped inside with her Granny. She brightened when she saw Tom. "Hi!" she said loudly.

Tom glanced at the barman. "That's her." Then he made his way forward to greet Elora. He gave her a slight smile. "Hi."

"Glad to see you made it safely," her Granny said.

"It was easy," Tom said with a shrug.

Elora was looking around the place in awe. "This is so cool! How do we get to Diagon Alley?"

Granny smiled. "This way, dear." She led the two children through the bar and out into a small, walled courtyard, where there was nothing but a trash can and a few weeds. Then Granny began to count the bricks above the trash can. "Stand back."

Tom and Elora immediately stepped back. They watched as Granny tapped a brick three times. The brick quivered, and then a small whole appeared. The hole grew wider and wider until it made a large archway that led out onto a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight.

"This is it," Granny said with a smile.

Tom and Elora exchanged a look of wonder before stepping through the archway after the old woman. The place looked amazing. Many shops lined both sides of the street, all with signs that exposed the magical contents that lay inside. Tom could not wait to get started.

"Where are we going first?" Elora asked excitedly. She was bounding up and down on the balls of her feet.

Granny chuckled lightly. "How about I look for your books while you two get fitted for roads? Then we can all head out together to buy your wands."

Tom thought that sounded like a great plan. Elora must have agreed, for she was nodding vigorously. Soon, they were off.

Finally, it was the moment Tom had been waiting for. Granny led him and Elora into Ollivanders, which was the shop where they would get their wands. Tom was just as excited on the inside as Elora, who was grinning uncontrollably, looking on the outside.

A young man greeted them inside the shop. "Hello," he said with a friendly smile.

"Good afternoon," Granny said pleasantly. "You must be Garrick Olivander. Your father sold me my wand. I'm Chrysanthemum Dixon."

"Right," Ollivander said, his eyes bright. He looked from Elora to Tom. "And who are these fine children?"

"This is my granddaughter, Elora," Granny said putting her hand on Elora's shoulder, "and her friend, Tom. They are starting their first year at Hogwarts and they are in need of a couple of wands."

Ollivander smiled. "Of course. I'll help you find the perfect wands. Who wants to be first?"

"Go ahead, Elora," Granny said, nodding at the young girl.

Elora bit her lip and stepped forward, suddenly seeming very shy. Tom watched as Ollivander pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket.

"Which is your wand arm?" Ollivander asked.

"My right, I suppose," Elora said.

"Hold out your arm," Ollivander said. As she did so, he began to measure her all over.

Tom was surprised when the tape measure began to move on its own. Did all magical objects do that? He found himself watching the object with fascination.

"Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance," Ollivander said, looking from Elora to Tom. "We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons."

"Is there a difference?" Elora asked. "Do they match our personalities?"

Ollivander smiled. "Yes, indeed. I have not quite figured out how it works, though. I learn more with each wand I sell. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand."

He was now searching around shelves, pulling down boxes. "That's enough," he said to the tape measure, and it fell to the floor. He opened a box and pulled out a wand. Tom found himself unable to look away. "Try this out," Ollivander said as he handed the wand to an eager-looking Elora. "It's sycamore and unicorn hair. Eight inches. Quite whippy. Give it a wave."

Elora waved the wand back and forth, but nothing happened.

A second later, Ollivander has snatched the wand back. "Let's try something else." He traded the wand in for a new one. This one was jet-black, and Tom found it very appealing. "This one is ebony and dragon heartstring. 10 and 3/4 inches. Nice and firm."

Elora took the new wand and waved it. This time, a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end of the wand. Tom let out an involuntary gasp.

Ollivander clapped his hands together in glee. "Perfect! This wand will suit you just fine."

A huge grin spread across Elora's face. When she shared it with Tom, he gave her a small smile in return. "Ebony," Elora repeated. "What does that mean?"

"She's always seeking out knew information," Granny explained.

Ollivander chuckled lightly. "Not a bad trait." He smiled at Elora. "Ebony is happiest in the hand of those with the courage to be themselves. It's owners tend to be individualistic and unique. Their beliefs may not be conventional, but they'll stick with them no matter what. Ebony seems to be good for all sorts of combative magic."

Elora was staring at her wand with wide eyes. "Wow," she whispered.

Tom agreed that the wand was quite impressive. He was happy that his friend had found such a good match. Now, however, he was itching to get one of his own. "Is it my turn?" he asked, looking at Ollivander hopefully.

"Of course!" Ollivander said as he picked up the measuring tape once again. "Hold up your wand arm, please."

Tom held up his right arm, eager to get this over with and onto the good stuff. Soon enough, the tape measure completed its work and dropped to floor.

"Let's start with this one," Ollivander said as he pulled out a wand. "Ash and dragon heartstring. 11 and 1/2 inches. Springy."

Tom felt his skin grow hot with excitement as he took the wand in his hand and swished it back and forth. He frowned when nothing happened, feeling disappointed.

"Something else, then," Ollivander said as he snatched the wand away. He took out another one. "This one is hawthorn and unicorn hair. 10 inches. Reasonably pliant."

Unicorn? Tom was not so sure about that one, but he tried it anyway. Just as he suspected, nothing happened.

"Not to worry." Ollivander quickly found a new wand. "Vine wood and dragon heartstring. 10 and 3/4 inches. Nice and flexible."

Tom was hopeful about this one, but it did not work either. He gritted his teeth in frustration. Was it supposed to take this long? Elora had gotten hers in two tries. "You're doing something wrong!" he said.

Ollivander frowned. "Some customers take longer to find their perfect match. Be patient. Let me see…" After rummaging around a bit, he pulled out yet another wand. "Try this one. Yew and phoenix feather. 13 and 1/2 inches. Brittle."

Tom stared at the wand warily before taking it He took a deep breath and then waved the wand. He was startled when sparks shot out of it. He stared at the object in amazement. He had done it. This was his wand.

"Very good," Ollivander said. "I knew we would find it."

"Good wand, Tom," Granny said with a smile, and he nodded at her numbly, suddenly feeling overwhelmed.

"What does yew mean?" Elora asked before Tom had the chance.

"Ah, yew is quite unique," said Ollivander. "It is associated with both death and rebirth. The yew tree represents reincarnation because as the outer tree dies, a new tree grows inside. Those who match well with this wand wood seem to be unusual and sometimes fierce protectors of others." His face suddenly grew serious as he eyes landed on Tom. "You must be careful. This wand is capable of great destruction – but the opposite could be as easily true. Use it carefully."

Tom nodded, not really understanding what he was saying. It was just a wand. And it sounded like a powerful one too. It was just what he wanted. "I will," he said. "Thank you, sir."

"Yes, thanks," Elora said, grinning once again. She turned to Tom, and they shared a knowing look. Everything they desired was being set into motion.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Elora was bubbling over with excitement the morning of September the first. She had been packed for ages, so she spent the early hours of the morning rushing between family members, talking quickly about how great the day was going to be. Eventually, everyone became annoyed with her, and she was shut in her room. Her mood did not dampen, however. She simply flipped through her books, imaging what it would be like to study at Hogwarts.

She had a hard time keeping quiet during the trip to King's Cross. She never had been to a train station before. Upon arrival, she found it simply marvelous. There were many people with trunks walking to and fro. The young girl wondered where they were supposed to go to get to Platform 9 ¾.

"Over here," Phoebe said as she directed her family to the right. They stopped at a barrier between two platforms. "Just walk right through. Braeden, you go first."

Braeden walked briskly towards the barrier with his trunks on a cart in front of him. As he reached the brick barrier, he suddenly disappeared. Elora let out an involuntary gasp.

"It's not hard," Arnold said gruffly. "Emile, you next."

Elora's eyes trailed away for a second, and she caught sight of someone watching them. It was Tom! Forgetting about her mother's dislike of the boy, she called out, "Tom! Over here!"

The rest of her family immediately turned to look at the kid. Tom hesitated before strolling over to them with his trolley. "Hello," he said politely. He glanced at the barrier. "IS this where we go in?"

"Yes," Elora said brightly.

"I'm sorry, what is your name?" Phoebe asked gently as she bent down to inspect the boy.

"Tom Riddle," he said without blinking. "I'm friends with Elora. It is my first year at Hogwarts too."

"Ah," Phoebe said, and a flash of understanding crossed her face. "I see. Well, we all best be going before the train leaves." She glanced at her eldest daughter. "Go ahead, dear."

Elora came to stand beside Tom and gave him a small smile. She simply looked at her and nodded. She was worried that her mother remembered her, and that she would pay for it later. They were in too much of a public place to reprimand her now of course. At least she would have to believe Elora that Tom was a wizard. Plus, maybe she would forget about this incident the next time they saw each other.

It did not take long for Emile to break through the barrier. Then everyone's eyes were on Elora. She smiled nervously as she pushed her trolley up to the barrier. Well, it was time to go.

Elora took a running start towards the barrier. She instinctively flinched as she neared it, but she did not feel anything as she passed through. Then she was at the platform, where her siblings were waiting for her. She looked around with amazement. "That was neat," she said.

"You have not seen anything yet," Braeden said with a smirk.

A second later, Tom emerged with his trunks. Elora smiled at him. "Hi, Tom."

"Who's this?" Emile said, quirking an eyebrow.

Elora smiled. "This is my friend, Tom. We met at the park."

"Hello," Tom said.

"You're friends with _her_?" Emile scoffed. "I suppose you'll learn. I'm Emile, and this is my brother, Braeden."

"Good luck, kid," Braeden said.

Before anyone had a chance to say anything else, Elora's parents emerged from the barrier. "Let's go then," Phoebe said as she strutted forward.

Tom fell in step beside Elora as the group walked down the platform. Elora kept staring at the train, finding it magnificent. She was sure it would be even more amazing inside. And then Hogwarts! She could hardly wait; she was growing excited again, and she grinned.

"This is a good spot," Arnold said abruptly, stopping his family.

Elora glanced at the train and noticed the empty seats in the compartments. She glanced at her parents. Were they supposed to leave now?

"Have a good trip, you three," Phoebe said with a tight smile.

Braeden nodded. "Right. I have to go; I have prefect duties."

"Take care, dear," Phoebe said.

"Good luck," Arnold added.

Then Braeden left with his trunks to board the train.

Phoebe smiled down at Emile. "I'm going to miss you, honey."

Emile gave her a small smile in return. "Me too." They hugged. Then Emile trotted over to her father and hugged him as well.

"Have a good time in Slytherin," Arnold said warmly before she let go. He looked at Elora and frowned slightly. "You, try to get into a good house."

Elora smiled weakly. "Right." She was remembering what her Granny had said, though. Any house would be a good one.

Just as Emile had started to board the train, a whistle sounded.

"You best be off," Phoebe said to her youngest daughter.

Elora glanced at Tom, who had been watching the family with no sign of emotion. "Let's go." The two of them pushed their trunks forward and then helped each other on the train.

Luckily, Elora was able to find an empty compartment. After stowing their trunks in a corner, she and Tom sat across from each other near the window of the compartment. Elora looked out the window to see her parents standing there. She suddenly felt a strange twinge of sadness. She had never been away from her parents for more than a weekend; what would it be like to live without them?

The train began to move, and her parents eventually slid out of view. Elora relaxed and looked away from the window. She noticed that Tom was staring at her with a curious expression on his face. She blinked. "What?"

"Are you _sad_ to be leaving?" Tom asked in a tone that suggested he could not believe it.

Elora frowned. "No. I'm excited. It's just going to be different. I don't know what to expect."

"It's going to be great," Tom said firmly. "We're going to be free. No one is going to hurt us."

Elora smiled slightly. "Right." Freedom… that was what she wanted, right? She wanted the freedom to be herself without being punished. She had to believe she would get that at Hogwarts. Everything was going to be fine now.

The two friends talked idly for awhile. At half past twelve, a smiling woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the cart, dears?"

Realizing how hungry she was, Elora immediately leapt up and went out to the corridor. Candy was always a special treat for her. Her parents had given her some money, so she felt justified in buying some snacks now.

She bought several treats before taking her seat across from Tom again. She frowned when she saw that her friend had not bought anything. He probably did not have any money to spend, she realized. He lived in the muggle world _and _he was an orphan. "Do you want anything?" she asked. He had to be hungry.

Tom shook his head. "I am fine."

Somehow, Elora did not believe him. She suspected his pride was preventing him from accepting. Well, they were best friends; she would have none of that. She got up and moved to the seat next to him. Then she put a cauldron cake on his lap and smiled at him encouragingly.

Tom blinked before picked the cake up. "Thanks," he said. He stared at the food oddly; he had probably never seen anything like it before. After taking a bite, however, a pleased expression crossed his face.

Elora grinned, glad that he was enjoying it. She took a bite of a pumpkin pasty. It was delicious!

Some more time passed. Elora wondered when they would arrive. It could to long now. "Maybe we should change into our robes so we're ready when we get there," she suggested.

Tom nodded. "Good idea. Do you mind stepping out while I change?"

Elora smiled slightly. "Sure."

No one else was in the corridor when she walked out. Tom emerged a couple of minutes later. Elora smiled at how handsome he looked in his wizard robes. Then she ducked inside the compartment to change into her own.

Sure enough, not 20 minutes later, a voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train; it will be taken to the school separately."

Elora's excitement was growing once again. "This is it!"

"Our future awaits," Tom said with a nod of approval.

Now there was a crowd in the corridor as the two kids exited their compartment. The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform.

Then Elora saw a lamp close by, and a voice said: "First years! First years! This way!"

Elora and Tom walked over to where the other first years were gathering beneath the man who was carrying the lantern and calling them over. Elora had heard he was one of the professors at Hogwarts, though she could not remember which one.

"This way," the man repeated. "Follow me."

Everyone followed him down a steep, narrow path. After rounding a bend, Elora caught sight of a large castle in the distance, and she let out an involuntary gasp. Hogwarts!

Now they were at the edge of a great, black lake. Elora thought the water looked pretty in the moonlight. "Four to a boat," the man said as he pointed to a row of boats near the edge of the water.

Elora and Tom clambered into the nearest boat they could find. They were soon joined by two girls, who gave them nervous smiles. Elora nodded at them, but other than that, there was no communication between the four. Elora was simply too excited to talk. She wanted to get to Hogwarts _now_! She was soaking in every moment.

"Forward!" the man shouted once everyone was in a boat.

Elora was surprised when the boats started moving of their own accord. This was so great! She craned her neck to view Hogwarts as they drifted closer and closer.

Soon, they reached the cliff upon which the castle stood. They all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door. The professor raised his hand and knocked three times on the door.

The door swung open, and a man dressed in blue robes with a long white beard and moon-shaped spectacles stepped out. "First years?" he said to the professor in a voice Elora took to be friendly. "I can take over. Thank you, Bosco."

The new man pulled the door wide open, and the students follow him inside. The Entrance Hall was very large, and Elora found herself in awe. The man led them into a small, empty chamber off the hall. Elora stood closed to Tom as she waited for what would happen next.

"Good evening," the man said with a warm smile. "Welcome to Hogwarts. My name is Professor Dumbledore. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.

"The four houses are named Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced magnificent witches and wizards. No one is better than any other. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I will return when we are ready for you. Please wait here." He smiled again before leaving the chamber.

"I've met him before," Tom whispered in my ear. "He was the one who told me about Hogwarts. I'm not sure I trust him."

Elora frowned but did not say anything. Dumbledore seemed nice enough. If he was their professor, she was sure she would have the chance to make up her own mind about him soon enough.

Dumbledore retuned several minutes later. "Well, then," he said, looking around at the children with a smile on his face, "let us proceed into the Great Hall. Form a line and follow me."

Elora got in line behind Tom. They all walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall. Elora was amazed at what she saw. She thought she had never seen a more wonderful place. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. There were silvery ghosts floated amongst the tables. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting.

Dumbledore led the first years up to the long table, and they came to a halt in a line facing the other students with the teachers behind them. Elora looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. A huge grin was plastered on her face. She was finally there!

Dumbledore placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. Then, on top of the stool, he placed appointed wizard's hat. The hat was brown, frayed, and very dirty. Elora joined the rest of the students in watching the hat, waiting for something to happen. Suddenly, a rip near the brim of the hat opened and it began to sing:

"A thousand years or more ago  
when I was newly sewn,  
there lived four wizards of renown,  
whose names are still well known:  
bold Gryffindor, from wild moor,  
fair Ravenclaw, from glen,  
sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad,  
shrewd Slytherin, from fen.  
They shared a wish, a hope, a dream,  
they hatched a daring plan  
to educate young sorcerers  
thus Hogwarts School began.  
Now each of these four founders  
formed their own house, for each  
did value different virtues  
in the ones they had to teach.  
By Gryffindor, the bravest were  
Prized far beyond the rest;  
For Ravenclaw, the cleverest  
would always be the best;  
For Hufflepuff, hard workers were  
Most worthy of admission;  
And power-hungry Slytherin  
loved those of great ambition.  
While still alive they did divide  
Their favorites from the throng,  
Yet how to pick the worthy ones  
When they were dead and gone?

'Twas Gryffindor who found the way,  
He whipped me off his head  
The founders put some brains in me  
So I could choose instead!  
Now slip me snug about your ears,  
I've never yet been wrong,  
I'll have a look inside your mind  
And tell where you belong!"

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again. Elora was amazed by the hat and what it had relayed. It had never been wrong? Well, that was good news indeed! It seemed she had nothing to worry about after all.

Dumbledore stepped forward, holding a long roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you may put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," he said. He cleared his throat before reading the first name. "Allen, Matilda!"

A girl with long brown hair stepped out of line and walked up to the stool. She put on the hat, which fell over her head, and sat down.

A moment later, the hat called out, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Elora did not think this sounded too hard. She could not wait for her turn. The students at one of the tables began to cheer and clap as Matilda skipped down to join them.

"Avery, Sebastian!" said Dumbledore.

"SLYTHERIN!" the hat shouted after a minute.

Eventually, Laurie was named a Gryffindor and Jean and Marjorie became Slytherins. Elora found this interesting because the two houses were supposed to be rivals. She doubted these girls would care, though. They had stuck together for as long as they could walk. It took a long time to get to the Ls, and by then, Elora was shifting weight between her feet nervously.

"Leatherby, Elora!"

Elora let out a breath of relief. Finally! She skipped over to the stool and picked up the hat before placing it on her head. The hat fell over her eyes as she sat down. She nearly jumped when it began to speak into her ear.

"Another Leatherby," the hat said. "Let's see, where to put you? You've got an adventurous spirit, I see. And you're very loyal. Hmm… You have a powerful desire for knowledge, and you're very original. Let's go with RAVENCLAW!"

Elora let out a breath of relief. One of her family's houses! That would show everyone! She smiled as she took the hat off, stood up, and trotted over to the Ravenclaw table. Braeden nodded in approval as Elora sat across from him.

"Good job," he said. "I didn't think you had it in you."

Elora smiled slightly. She knew she would have been fine in any house, but she was glad she did not have to deal with her family's disapproval. And she was in her Granny's house! This was going to be so much fun.

Soon, it was Tom's turn. Elora watched intently as he put on the hat. Only several seconds hat passed before the hat proclaimed, "SLYTHERIN!"

Elora's smile fell in disappointment. Tom glanced at her as he walked to the Slytherin table.

"I approve," Braeden said to her.

Yes, she supposed he had been put in a good house. Maybe now her mother would stop her insane condemnation of their friendship.

The only other student Elora noticed was Mildred, who, unfortunately, was placed in Ravenclaw. Elora wondered if the girl would be nicer away from her friends, but she was not going to count on it. She hoped the other girls would be more hospitable.

After the sorting, Headmaster Dippet welcomed them. Then they were free to eat. Elora had never had more amazing food in her life. Once she was finished, she was content listening to Dippet give a little speech before sending them off to their beds.

Elora stayed close to Braeden who, as a prefect, was supposed to show the first years to their common room. "There is no knob on the door to our common room," Braeden explained as they walked down the corridor. "There is an enchanted bronze knocker in the shape of an eagle. Once you knock on the door, the knocker asks you a question, and you are let in if you answer it correctly. The riddles are usually fun and enjoyable. You'll catch on."

Elora was not sure about that. Would the questions be hard? The door to the common room was on top of a long, winding staircase. Luckily, the other students had already arrived, and they did not have to answer the question to be let in.

Elora loved the Ravenclaw common room right away. It was circular with windows all around. Looking out, she could see a stunning view of the lake, the Forbidden Forest, the Quidditch pitch, and the Herbology gardens. The room was draped with blue and bronze, which Elora found quite pretty. The dorm rooms were colored similarly.

Luckily, the first years were too tired to talk. Their trunks were already in the room, so getting ready for bed was an easy task. There was a smile on Elora's face as she sunk into bed. She finally felt like she had found a home.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Tom knew he was not in his own room when he woke up the next morning. He could hear the noises of other people in the room. Slowly, everything came back to him. He was at Hogwarts! He was finally going to have a future!

His heart beat with excitement as he sat up. He could not wait to get to class and begin learning everything he could about being the best wizard ever. Right now, however, he took the time to survey his surroundings. There were five poster beds lined along the walls. Only one of the other boys was awake; the other three were still sleeping.

Tom was not thrilled at the thought of having roommates. He preferred to do everything by himself. Perhaps wizards would be different from the muggle orphans he had known. He decided to give them a chance. "Good morning," he said to the boy who was messing with a bag on his bed. Tom thought his name was Abraxas Malfoy.

The boy turned his head and smiled at him. He had bright blue eyes and white-blond hair that fell down to his shoulders. "Good morning. It's Tom, right?"

Tom nodded. "And you're Abraxas."

The other boy grinned. "That's right. Today is going to be great. We're getting our schedules today. Aren't you excited?"

"Yes," Tom said slowly. He was not sure what to think about this kid. He seemed much too cheery for his liking, especially at this hour of the day. He glanced over at the other boys. "Shouldn't we wake them? Breakfast is starting soon."

"I'm awake," Sebastian Avery said from his bed. Tom could only see his dark brown hair sticking out from under the blankets. "Just give me a minute."

A second later, Ben Henwood pulled a sheet over his light brown head. Only the dirty blond in the room, Aden Lestrange, seemed to be truly asleep as he lay on his side.

Tom looked back at Abraxas, who shrugged. "Let's just go down there when we're ready," the other boy said. "I don't take long, and it's their loss."

This seemed fair enough to Tom. He ignored his roommates as he got dressed and made himself look presentable. Sebastian got up about halfway through and somehow managed to finish getting ready at the same Tom and Abraxas.

"Aw, they're going to leave without us," Ben, who finally sat up, said. He threw a pillow at the body in the bed next to him. "Wake up, Aden. We don't want to be late."

Tom smirked slightly as he watched the encounter. After slipping his school bag over his shoulder, he led Abraxas and Sebastian out into stairwell, where they had to first walk down one flight of stairs to reach the common room where they could then exit and begin their march towards the Great Hall.

Tom liked the dungeons, where the Slytherin common room was hidden. It was colder and more enclosed than the rest of the castle. He thought he could spend some good time alone down there. His mind then wandered to Elora. He remembered hearing that the Ravenclaw common room was atop a tower, opposite the Gryffindor tower, while Hufflepuff lay underground on the opposite side of the castle. He wondered if Elora liked living up so high. He did not know if he would be able to stand it; he was not a bird.

As they entered the Entrance Hall, Tom could see students continually walking into the Great Hall. None of them paid the first years any attention. Tom caught sight of a couple of older Slytherin students and followed them to the Slytherin table. Sebastian sat next to him at the table, and Abraxas took the seat on Sebastian's other side.

"Hello," the boy across from Tom said with a small smiled. He seemed to be not much older than Tom; he had thick black hair and brown eyes hidden behind then-rimmed glasses. "I'm Ridgewell Rosier. I'm a second year student."

"Tom Riddle," Tom said. He did not really feel like talking. He glanced down at his plate and watched his food appear just like it had the previous night. How did they do that?

"Hi," Abraxas said brightly. "I'm Abraxas, and this is Sebastian."

Tom looked up in time to see Sebastian nod at Ridgewell in acknowledgement.

Towards the end of breakfast, the teachers began to hand out class schedules. Tom recognized the round man walking along the Slytherin table as Professor Slughorn, the potions master and head of Slytherin.

"Hello there," the professor said, smiling at the first year boys (Ben and Aden had arrived a minute earlier). "Here are your timetables. Make sure to give yourselves plenty of time to find your way around. This place can be a bit confusing."

No wonder, with all the staircases and hallways Tom had glimpsed. He took his schedule, giving Slughorn a polite "thanks," and looked it over. He had four classes that day: Potions with Gryffindor, Defense Against the Dark Arts with Gryffindor, Herbology with Ravenclaw, and History of Magic with Hufflepuff. Excellent. He would have a chance to examine students from the other houses. Elora had already told him what she had heard they were like, but he wanted to observe for himself.

"We better go," Sebastian said, slipping his timetable into his pocket. "Potions starts in ten minutes."

Tom drowned the rest of his pumpkin juice and stood up. Aden and Ben grumbled about being hungry, but they followed the other three boys out into the hall.

Finding the potions classroom was easy. It was the first class room on the right down in the dungeons. The boys were the first ones there, so they leaned against the wall to wait. Tom took the opportunity to take out his potions book and flip through.

The sound of soft chatter caused Tom to lower his book. The rest of the class was arriving. Down the hall, he could see Professor Slughorn making his way to the classroom.

"Good morning, students," the teacher side. He opened the door and led the way inside.

Tom was the first to walk in, and he took a seat in the middle at the front of the classroom. Aden sat on his left and Sebastian on his right.

"Is everyone here?" Slughorn said as he peered across the room. "Better take attendance." He pulled out a roll of parchment. "Matilda Allen?"

The girl with curly blond hair who had been first at the sorting raised her hand.

Slughorn nodded. "Very good. Sebastian Avery?"

After reading everyone's name, the professor set the list down on the desk behind them. Then he looked around the classroom and smiled at everyone again. "Everyone is here. Welcome to Potions. I assume this is the first class for all of you. I can assure you, you are going to have an exciting year. You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potionmaking. I hope you'll find what I have to teach you very useful."

He turned and walked to the other side of the room. The students' eyes followed his every move. "Now, we're going to start with a simple cure for boils. You'll find the recipe on page four of your textbook. Pair up and get started." He clapped his hands together; then he folded them and waited for the students to move.

"Let's work together," Aden said from Tom's left side.

Tom glanced at him and nodded. He pushed his desk closer to Aden's so that they would have more room. They both opened their books and flipped to the correct page. Tom wondered if Aden grew up in a wizarding family and knew anything about potions; Tom was certainly clueless, but he was determined to work hard and get it right.

Slughorn strolled through the class watching everyone's work. When he passed Tom and Aden, he simply nodded and continued on. Tom had no idea if they were doing it right, but at least there had been no explosions like that from a pair of Gryffindors to his right.

"Time is up," Slughorn said after nearly an hour. "Please fill a vile with your potions, label it, and drop it off at my desk."

"I guess we'll have to wait to see how we did," Aden said, shrugging.

Tom figured he could wait to be graded. He was sure his other classes would occupy his mind. He followed the teacher's instructions and was soon out the door.

Now they had a break to do whatever they wanted to do. Tom lost Aden in the crowd. He decided to walk around and explore the castle. He wanted to get to know it well; it was bound to come in handy in the future. Besides, this was his new home.

He managed to find his way back just in time for Defense Against the Dark Arts. He thought the class was very interesting. There was a type of magic they were not allowed to learn? There was something intriguing about it. He had to learn more. Right now, however, he had his first class with Elora.

Herbology was held in a big greenhouse outside the castle. Tom hurried to arrive before his Slytherin classmates. The door was open, so he stepped inside. He had been looking around at the place for a full minute when he was interrupted.

"Tom!" Elora smiled at him as she walked over to him. "Isn't this place great? Hogwarts, I mean."

"Yes," Tom said. "It's perfect." It felt good to see his friend. Too bad they were in different houses. There had to be some way they could meet and hang out. "Are you free after this class?"

Elora frowned slightly and shook her head. "No. I've got Potions, but I'm done after that."

That would not do, though. Tom had a free period and then History of Magic. They would have to meet later. "Do you want to meet me at the library at four?" It was the first neutral place he could think of.

"Sure," Elora said brightly. "I haven't seen it yet, but I'm sure I could find it."

Tom opened his mouth to give her advice, but the sound of snickering stopped him.

"Tom's got a girlfriend!" Sebastian said gleefully. Aden and Abraxas laughed beside him.

"He works fast," Aden noted.

Tom instinctively grew tense. For the first time since he had been there, he was reminded of his life at the orphanage. He thought these kids would be different. Had he been a fool? "She's not my girlfriend," he said through clenched teeth.

"We're friends," Elora said with a nervous smile. "We met before Hogwarts."

Abraxas raised his eyebrows. "Oh, really?"

"Leave them alone," Ben said, pushing through the boys to get to Tom and Elora. He offered the girl a friendly smile. "Ignore them. I'm Ben Henwood. What's your name?"

"Elora Leatherby," Elora said shyly. Tom guessed she was not used to being treated kindly either.

"Leatherby?" Abraxas repeated, his eyes suddenly wide. "The pureblood family that joined Slytherin and Ravenclaw together?"

Elora seemed to shift uncomfortably. "Yes." She bit her lip. "My mom was in Ravenclaw and my dad was in Slytherin. Now my brother is in Ravenclaw with me and my sister is in Slytherin."

"Emile, right?" Aden said. At Elora's nod, he added, "I've met her."

"Good choice, Tom," Sebastian said with a look of approval. He pointed at Aden and Abraxas. "We're purebloods as well."

"I'm mixed," Ben said. He shrugged. "Not that it matters."

Elora smiled nervously. "Right."

"What about you?" Aden asked Tom.

"It's time to begin," a female adult voice said before Tom could reply that he had no idea who his parents were, least of all their blood status. He was grateful for the interjection; he turned to focus on the teacher.

He explored the castle again after Herbology. He made sure to find the library and note its location; he did not want to be late. Time passed sooner than he would have liked, and he headed to the History of Magic classroom. The class was taught by a ghost named Professor Binns. The class was by far the most boring of the day, but Tom still managed to pay attention.

He arrived at the library right on time to meet Elora. She walked in a few minutes later, her face lighting up upon seeing him. "Hi, Tom," she said happily. "How were your classes? I loved all of mine."

"They were enjoyable," Tom said.

"I'm glad we don't have homework yet," Elora said. "I want to get to know this place better." She looked around the library curiously. "That's a lot of books. What are we doing here?"

"I need your help with something," Tom said. "I want to see if I can find anything in here that mentions my family."

Elora frowned slightly. "Your family?"

"My father mainly," Tom said. "His name was Tom Riddle as well. I would like to know more about him."

Elora bit her lip; she seemed uncertain. "Well, how do you know he's a wizard?"

"If my mother had been a wizard, she would have tried harder to not die," Tom said with iciness in his voice. "And she would not have left me at a muggle orphanage. I bet she left my father because he was a wizard and then gave me away to spite him."

"I suppose that's possible," Elora said, "but what if you're a muggleborn?"

"I won't know until I look," Tom said. He did not know if blood was important, but it would be easier to find information about his parents if they had wizard blood. He _had_ to know where he came from so he could find out _who_ he was. "Will you help me?"

"Of course," Elora said. "Where do we start?"

"We can each take an end," Tom decided. He made his way over to the right and began to examine books on a shelf.

Tom brought a stack of books over to a table and sat down. Elora soon joined him. Nearly an hour of silence passed as they two of them searched through the material. Finally, Elora said, "Can we take a break and explore outside? We can continue this after dinner."

"Alright," Tom agreed. He had not seen much outside except for the greenhouse; it was probably a good idea to check anything out. Plus, they were not getting anywhere with these books.

Elora grinned. "Great! I love exploring. Maybe we can find something to play."

Play. Right. Elora loved to make up games, and Tom actually found them enjoyable. He wondered what she could come up with in a place as magnificent as Hogwarts. Probably something to do with dragons and castles. Tom was still not sure about the other kids so he was grateful to have her around. He was sure this was going to be an amazing year.

Tom could not believe it when a full week had passed by. He had become immersed in everything to do with Hogwarts. The school as simply amazing. He still found it hard to believe that he was actually a wizard. It was the truth, though. He _belonged_ here.

He loved each of his classes, even History of Magic. Everything he learned was fascinating to him, and he was always burning to learn more. He had not found anything about his family yet, but Elora was always there to help. He was growing to like the Slytherins. He got along fine with the boys in his year, though they did not really hang out much. Outside of class, Tom was usually either alone or with Elora. That was _exactly_ how he liked it.

He had run into Emile, Elora's sister, once in the Slytherin common after classes on Friday. He had been entering the room, and he soon found her blocking his path. "Hello," she said casually.

"Hello," Tom said politely.

"Are you still Elora's friend or have you come to your senses?" Emile said.

Tom frowned. "There is nothing wrong with Elora. She is a good friend." Really, what was wrong with her family?

Emile shook her head as she let out a sigh. "She doesn't belong with people like us. Stay with your own kind."

Tom raised his eyebrows. "Your brother is in Ravenclaw."

"It's not _Ravenclaw;_ it's _her_. Just be careful." She stalked past him with her head held high, and she exited the room.

Tom stared after her, feeling slight confusion. There was nothing to what she was saying, was there? Elora's family was just biased against her for some reason. It was nothing he had to worry about. With this resolve, he headed to his room to get an early start on studying.

He decided to start with history. He was flipping through the book to find the chapter he was supposed to read when he noticed a section they had not been assigned. He wondered the reason, for the section was about Salazar Slytherin. The class was currently learning about the four Hogwarts founders. Why was this not important?

Tom soon found out the reason. The passage spoke of a legend, which Professor Binns did not think was important to history. Tom was curious, so he decided to read it. Allegedly, before he left the school, Salazar Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in the castle. After he left, he sealed it so that no one would be able to get in until his heir arrived at the school. There was supposed to be a monster inside the Chamber of Secrets that could be used to cleanse the school of those unworthy of studying magic. The chamber had never been found.

Tom reread the passage. A secret chamber? Could it be true? The fact that no one had ever found it did not mean anything important. Obviously, only a descendant of Slytherin would be able to do so.

A strange thought suddenly occurred to him that made his heart speed up in excitement. What if _he_ was a descendant of Slytherin? He had no idea of his heritage; it was entirely possible. It was a place to begin looking. Right now, his search was leading him nowhere. Tom set the book down and leapt up from his bed. He had a new lead to follow.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Thanks for the reviews!

Chapter 9

Elora was excited to start a new week. She already loved it at Hogwarts. Her classes were amazing. After spending years listening to her family talk about magic, she finally had a chance to use it herself! The best part, however, was getting to see Tom every day. The two of them would go off together after classes were ended. It was neat to have such a big place to explore together. She was sure his company would never grow old.

"Good morning!" she said brightly to her roommates, which consisted of five other girls.

Mildred shot her a disapproving look. "You should not be so cheery in the morning," she said. "It's not attractive." The two girls standing on either side of her nodded their heads.

"You'll wake all of us up one day," said Allison, a girl with curly red hair that never seemed to stay in place.

"Yeah, go find someone else to bother," said Lizbeth, the blond on the other side of Mildred.

"I'm just excited for the day," Elora said feebly.

Mildred snorted. "Keep your excitement to yourself."

Elora's smile faded as she watched the three girls turn to each other and begin to talk, probably about her. She had hoped that she and her housemates would get along, but it did not seem like that would happen. She glanced at the other two girls in the room. They had been staring, but when she looked at them, they hastily turned away. Sure, those two were not mean to her, but they had yet to stick up for her.

Elora let out short sigh. She told herself everything would be alright. These girls were hardly the only kids in the school she could befriend. Plus, it was still early in the year. She would not be alone. If worst came to worst, she always had Tom.

Her mood had improved considerably by the time she entered the Great Hall, lightly skipping to take her place at the Ravenclaw table. There were two empty chairs to the right of Braeden, and she chose the one two chairs down. Her brother glanced at her, a small frown plastered on his face. "Can't you sit somewhere else?" he said.

Elora blinked. "I want to sit with you," she said in a tone of innocence. When Braeden simply turned away and began talking to his friends, she felt her heart sink. She thought getting into Ravenclaw would make him like her better, but the best it seemed to have done was cause him to be able t tolerate her. Emile seemed even less affected. Whenever Elora saw her, she would send her a glare or make a rude comment to her friends.

Elora twirled her food around with her fork, her head propped up with her left elbow. Suddenly, she did not feel so hungry anymore. The one bad part about being at Hogwarts was that she could not see her Granny. However… she could write to her. She brightened at the idea. She decided to write a letter as soon as she had some free time. She was sure Granny would love to hear from her.

She was in a good mood once again as she head to her first class of the day, Charms. This class Ravenclaw shared with Gryffindors. Elora would not mind except for the fact that Laurie was a Gryffindor. Similar to Mildred, this member of the gang had convinced the first year Gryffindor girls to turn on Elora before they even knew her. The boys were like most other boys her age; they thought girls were too different from them, and so they stayed away.

She was beginning to wonder if she should find some Hufflepuffs and try to befriend them. Her family did not think highly about Hufflepuff because they were too kind and trusting, but wasn't that what Elora wanted? Maybe they would be the ones who would give her a chance. What did her family know, anyway? Still, she did not want to give her parents any more reason to be upset with her. She decided to wait to see if a Hufflepuff approached her. Then maybe she could make a friend. Otherwise, she would keep to the other houses, mainly Ravenclaw and Slytherin.

She took out a quill and parchment and took dutiful notes once the teacher arrived. She was pleased with herself once the class was over. She was getting used to this school thing. She had a break next followed by History of Magic, which she also happened to take with Gryffindor.

She had quickly come to the decision that she should not spend her morning break looking for Tom. It was a fruitless effort. The castle was too big and the length of the break was too short to make it worth it. This was fine with her. She enjoyed being alone with her thoughts. She would share those thoughts with any who would listen, but those people were far and few. Thus, she was often wandering the school alone.

Herbology could not come soon enough. She found that she actually enjoyed the class, despite her family's insistence that it was basically useless. What made the class even better was that it was shared with Slytherin. It was for this reason that Herbology and Transfiguration, the other combined class with Slytherin, had quickly become her favorites.

Elora had run across the Hogwarts ground as fast as she could, but Tom had still made it there first. Her face broke out into a grin when she saw him. "Hey, Tom," she said, slowing down to a trot. "How was your morning?"

"Good," Tom said politely. "I have to talk to you something later. I figured it out on Friday. I would have told you over the weekend, but we were too busy doing other stuff. Plus, I wanted to do more research first. I'll tell you today after class, though."

Elora blinked, uncomprehending. "Ok. I can't wait." He had found out something neat? Well, this was going to be exciting. She wished he would have waited to tell her, though, because now she would be anxious throughout her next two classes.

Indeed, this is what happened; though, she somehow managed to take sufficient notes. By the time she was finished with Potions she was running again in search of Tom.

She found him in the library, where they often met. He led her into the very back corner of the room, away from everyone else. They found a table and took seats across from each other. Tom placed a book on the table. Elora recognized it to be their History of Magic textbook. She found the class quite boring, actually, so she wondered why Tom was showing her something from it.

"What did you find?" she asked.

In response, Tom opened the book, flipped to a certain page, and pushed it over to Elora. "This part of the chapter was not assigned for class. It talks about the legend of the Chamber of Secrets."

Elora's interest was instantly piqued. Chamber of Secrets? It sounded so magical and fascinating! She simply adored legends! She picked up the books and quickly scanned the page. "What's the Chamber of Secrets?" She looked up at Tom to hear him speak.

"A hidden chamber Salazar Slytherin created before he left the school," he replied. "Allegedly, only the heir of Slytherin can find and open it. Many wizards have searched for the chamber but never found it, so they all think it's a myth. But I think they haven't found it because none of them were the heir of Slytherin."

Elora blinked. "Who's the heir of Slytherin?"

"I don't know," Tom said, shaking his head. "I've been trying to find the names of his descendants, but I know none of them are it because they did not find the chamber. The line ends with our parents' generation."

A puzzled expression crossed Elora's face. "So there is no heir?" If there was no descendant their age, there was no one to find the chamber, right?

"Unless the heir has yet to be born or," he paused dramatically before continuing, "no one is not aware that he is a descendant of Slytherin."

Elora frowned. "I don't get it."

"An _orphan_," Tom said emphatically. "Someone who does not know his line. Like me."

Elora's eyes widened in understanding. "You think _you're_ the heir of Slytherin?"

Tom shrugged. "I might be. That's why I need to figure out who my parents were, and maybe I can search for the chamber too. If I find it, I have to be the heir. Will you help me?"

"Of course," Elora said with a small smile though she was unsure about this whole search. She had a bad feeling about it. She would have to read up on it later to make sure it was safe. But she knew she would accompany Tom in whatever endeavors he chose to engage in. They had to stick together.

Tom nodded. "Good. It should go faster with both of us looking."

Elora had to agree on that, which was one of the great parts about having friends. Plus, she and Tom made a great team. She was sure they could figure this all out. "We can get to work after we work on our homework, okay?" School had to come first.

"Agreed."

Weeks passed by with surprising quickness. Elora had easily adapted to her new life. She found her classes all very wonderful, and she did her best to pay attention and take dutiful notes. She was always pleased to answer a teacher's question correctly and gain points for Ravenclaw.

At first, it had been a struggle to gain entrance into the Ravenclaw common room because of the tough riddles, but she finally succeeded in answering one all on her own one day late in October. Her success left her feeling ecstatic, for she knew she would have not been able to answer the riddle if she were not a true Ravenclaw. No matter what anyone else said, this was where she belonged.

She was not having as much luck in the friend department. Many of the girls her age had turned against her. There were others that tolerated her, but they never talked much. She occasionally chatted with some of the Ravenclaw boys, especially those a bit older than herself. They bonded over their house's first Quidditch game of the year.

Of course, she still had Tom. She enjoyed chances to run off with him and have fun. They still played games together like they had back at the park, but they usually only had time for this on the weekends. During the weekday, they were consumed with homework and Tom's additional quests. Elora was happy to help him look for information on his family, though they were not having much successful. She was less enthusiastic about finding the Chamber of Secrets, but she kept her doubts to herself. The important thing was that they were doing stuff together. The last thing she wanted was a petty fight that would separate them.

Elora wrote to her Granny regularly. It was always a pleasure to receive a letter from her. The two of them talked like they would have if they were in the same room. The difference was that Elora not had much more good news to report and less bad.

She was growing worried about the prospect of returning home as Christmas break neared. She wondered if her parents would allow her to stay at Hogwarts with Tom over the break. She knew they were certainly not looking forward to the prospect of having her back either. Before she had the chance to write to them, however, she received a letter from Granny that addressed these very concerns.

She was grinning by the time she finished reading the letter one Tuesday morning in the middle of November. Luckily, she had Transfiguration first thing after breakfast. She waited until she saw Tom exiting the Great Hall, and then she slipped out to join them. Her actions were not unusual, for they often caught up to each other and walked to class together.

"I just got a letter from my Granny," Elora said excitedly as they turned down a corridor.

"That's nice," Tom said without looking at her. "What did she say?"

"She wants me to stay with _her_ during Christmas break!" she said, her grin returning.

Tom looked at her in surprised, and then the tiniest of smiled formed on his face. "That's great, Elora. You won't have to go back to your terrible family, and I won't be worrying about you the whole time."

Elora smiled slightly. She was uncomfortably with his negative characterization of her family, but there was not much to say to defend them, so she did not even bother. "There's more. Granny wants to know if you would like to join us."

Another shocked expression crossed Tom's face. "You mean, she wants me to stay with her for Christmas?"

Elora nodded, smiling. "Exactly."

Tom's expression morphed into a look of wonder. "No one has ever wanted me to stay with them," he murmured, more likely to himself and not the girl walking beside him.

"I do," Elora said gently. "And so does Granny. So will you come?" She looked at him hopefully. She would have the best break ever if she got to spend it with Granny _and_ Tom.

Tom seemed to hesitate before nodding. "Yes. I would love to go with you."

"Great!" Elora exclaimed. They had reached the Transfiguration classroom, so she had to tone down her excitement. She was filled with renewed hope as she took her seat next to Tom at the front of class. Life truly was amazing.

OOO

Elora hummed to herself as she exited the Ravenclaw common room. She was on her way to meet up with Tom at the library. The great day had her feeling light and happy. She did not think anything could go wrong.

She skipped down the steps and entered a corridor. She was slightly surprised to see her brother Braeden walking in the opposite direction. "What are you so happy about?" Braeden sneered as he approached her.

"Tom and I are going to Granny's for Christmas!" Elora said, unable to hide a smile.

Braeden, on the other hand, was frowning. "I supposed Mum put her up to it," he said. "Didn't want to have you messing up another holiday."

"Granny loves me!" Elora protested.

Braeden raised his eyebrows at her. "Oh yeah?" He turned to the left, forcing his sister to back up towards the wall. "She's old and lonely. She would talk to a rat if she had to. Oh, wait, she _does_." He barked in laughter.

Elora felt her cheeks grow hot, and she looked down in embarrassment. "You're wrong," she mumbled, though she could not exactly explain why he was wrong.

"What are you doing to her?" a voice said from behind them.

Elora looked up, feeling hope rise in her chest at the sight of Tom, who did not appear happy.

"Get out of here, kid," Braeden said. "This doesn't concern you."

Unfazed, Tom took out his wand and pointed it at the older boy. "Leave her alone," he said in a threatening tone.

Elora gasped. "Tom!" Now she was worried for _him_.

Braeden just laughed. "What are you going to do with that? Poke me?"

"Petrificus Totalus!" Tom said.

Braeden's arms suddenly snapped to his side, and he grew rigid. Then he began to teeter, his body stiff, and he fell onto his back. His eyes looked up at the boy wildly.

Elora stared at Tom with her mouth partly open. When she could find her voice, she said, "You didn't have to do that."

"Yes, I did," Tom said. He stepped over Braeden to reach her. Then he took her hand in his. "He won't bother you again."


End file.
